Police suspect armed robber targeting transvestite prostitutes

 RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. -- The hunt is on for the person Riviera Beach Police said robbed and killed a man on Saturday. Investigators now believe the gunman targeted men who may have been working as transsexual prostitutes.

Police originally suspected Saturday's shooting in the 500 block of West 5th Street that killed Tyrell Jackson and injured Michael Hunter was a drive-by shooting.

Investigators now believe the shooter in Saturday's incident might be tied to a string of other similar armed robberies that happened in the area around the same time.

Investigators said when the robber pulled out a gun, Jackson and Hunter tried running and were shot while fleeing. Hunter survived and Jackson later died.

Later Saturday night, West Palm Beach police said two similar armed robberies took place, both involving transvestite prostitutes.

West Palm Beach Police spokesperson Allen Ortman said both robberies took place near 25th Street and Flagler Drive. Ortman said the first victim was shot and robbed and the other was robbed.

Riviera Beach Police spokesperson Rose Anne Brown said the men could have been targeted by the suspect because their purses were easy targets and because the victims might have felt uncomfortable reporting the crime.

"There may be other incidents because sometimes things like this happen and the people do not report it. You know they're safe at the end of it so they don't report it," said Brown.

Police said the victims all had a similar suspect description of a light-skinned African American or Hispanic male. He was driving a small, silver SUV, possibly a 2005 to 2007 Buick Rendezvous.

Police consider him armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information should call Riviera Beach Police Detectives Raja (561 926-0796) or Nubin (561 714-8286) or Crime Stoppers (1-800-458-TIPS).