Man facing charge of attempted murder
LAKE WORTH — A Lake Worth man faces an attempted murder charge after reportedly shooting a man in the leg, buttocks, elbow and thigh on the man’s 47th birthday.
Edward Fernandez Jr., 35, is accused of shooting at that man Thursday morning during an argument over the volume of a cellphone conversation, Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office records state.
A woman confronted her neighbor at an apartment building just south of 11th Avenue South on Federal Highway. She told sheriff ’s authorities the man was talking loudly on the phone while standing outside her door.
The man, whom sheriff ’s authorities have not identified, told the woman to have “her man” come do something about it.
She said he had nothing to do with their argument. The unidentified man punched her, she said, knocking her back into her apartment.
Fernandez then appeared in the doorway, pulled out a gun and pointed it at her head.
Her friend, who the woman said was at her home to celebrate his birthday, stepped between Fernandez and the woman and stabbed Fernandez in the chest. The woman said her friend was protecting her.
Fernandez opened fire, repeatedly shooting the man, according to the report. He and the man who was on the cellphone fled the scene, the woman said.
Authorities found four spent short casings outside an apartment door.
The man was taken to a St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach for the numerous gunshot wounds. His condition is not known.
About the time that man arrived at St. Mary’s, someone dropped off Fernandez at JFK Medical Center in Atlantis because of the stab wound to his chest.
Authorities detained Fernandez at JFK. As of Friday morning, he remains hospitalized and has not been moved into the Palm Beach County Jail.
Sheriff ’s records indicate Fernandez has multiple felony convictions. He was last released from state prison in late 2015 after serving a threeyear sentence for aggravated battery and weapons-related offenses.
He now faces charges for possessing a weapon as a felon, shooting into an occupied building and aggravated assault, in addition to an attempted murder charge.
He will make his first appearance before a judge on those charges after he is released from the hospital.