WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — In a harrowing sequence of events on Friday night, a woman met a fatal end in the parking lot of a local motel, followed by a man taking his own life outside a nearby rental car facility. West Palm Beach Police spokesperson Mike Jachles described the incident as a disturbing murder-suicide.
According to statements provided to WPTV reporter Briana Nespral by Jachles, the West Palm Beach Police Department received a distressing call around 7:30 p.m. reporting a shooting at the back parking lot of the Quality Inn situated at 1505 Belvedere Road, just west of Interstate 95.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a woman, believed to be 45 years old, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Despite their swift efforts to administer CPR, the victim succumbed to her injuries, as declared by paramedics at the scene.
Meanwhile, a chilling development unfolded as a 60-year-old man was spotted entering a vehicle accompanied by two boys, aged 10 and 17, positioned behind another parked vehicle nearby. Jachles revealed that these boys are presumed to be the children of the couple from St. Lucie County.
The trio swiftly departed from the scene in the vehicle, setting off a frantic search by law enforcement officers. Approximately a quarter-mile away from the Quality Inn, police officers located the suspect’s vehicle parked at a Hertz car rental establishment.
In a tense confrontation, as officers approached the man, he resorted to taking his own life through self-inflicted gunfire. Notably, there was no exchange of gunfire between the suspect and the officers, Jachles emphasized.
Subsequently, the man was rushed to St. Mary’s Medical Center for emergency surgery. However, tragically, he passed away before 10:30 p.m., as confirmed by Jachles.
During the investigation, the two boys provided statements at the police department, shedding light on the distressing series of events. However, the identities of both the man and the woman involved in this heartbreaking incident have been withheld pending further investigation.
As the West Palm Beach community grapples with the shock and sadness stemming from this tragedy, authorities continue their diligent efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding this unsettling murder-suicide.
