Arrest in South Florida Fair shooting, suspect identified

SUBURBAN WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office gang unit has made an arrest in connection with a shooting at the South Florida Fair. He's a 17-year-old teen from Riviera Beach.

NewsChannel 5's Rochelle Ritchie spoke with the accused gunman's mother who identified the teen as Tommy Tyrone Poindexter.

She said he played on the basketball team at Palm Beach Gardens High School and had plans to go into the military.

Between 11:30 p.m. Saturday and midnight a fight broke out and gunshots were fired near Gate 2 on the north side of the fair's property.

Two people were injured. Both victims were hospitalized. A male victim was airlifted to St. Mary's Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. The other victim, a female, was transported to Wellington Regional Medical Center and released Sunday afternoon.

According to a probable cause affidavit the male victim said he recognized the alleged shooter as "Rone" and that they went to elementary school together. He also said "Rone" attends Palm Beach Gardens High School and is a member of the Monroe Heights Posse Gang.

The victim also said that after he was shot an unknown person handed him a gun and he returned fire at "Rone."

Deputies confronted the victim as he ran toward and exit and ordered him to drop his gun. He was then given medical assistance.

Poindexter' mother thinks her son is innocent. "So, that's what I'm hearing, to support the truth and find out what really is going on."

Poindexter waived his right to a first appearance Thursday morning. He will remain in juvenile detention for 21 days. During that time the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office will decide whether to charge him as an adult. He turns 18 in August. He faces charges of aggravated battery with a firearm and delinquent in possession of a firearm.

According to his mother Poindexter was not in a gang.