PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said a man accused of committing multiple shootings into occupied and unoccupied dwellings was arrested Thursday.
The suspect was identified as Sterling Maloney, 29, of Boynton Beach.
WATCH: Detectives say suspect was targeting 10 more addresses
"We're very lucky that no one was hit, killed or injured with these shootings," Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Col. Talal Masri. "We're leaning toward calling it a serial shooter."
Investigators said the investigation began in February when a person in a vehicle in Royal Palm Beach fired several shots in the air.
Two more shootings took place where detectives learned all came from the same gun, including one at a BJ's Wholesale club store in Royal Palm Beach.
Mesri said shortly afterward, police in Boynton Beach investigated four cases of someone shooting at residences and businesses.
During the same time frame, Mesri said Delray Beach police investigated six other shootings in their city.
Investigators discovered that the shell casings all came from the same gun.
"We have a total of 16 incidents involving the same firearm," Mesri said.
The sheriff's office said later there was a drive-by shooting at a home in Ocean Ridge on July 11, where the vehicle's license plate number was caught on camera. A Boynton Beach officer later spotted that vehicle and pulled it over, leading to Maloney's arrest.
A gun, a Glock 19 9mm, was recovered from Maloney's vehicle that matched the one used in the shootings, according to detectives.
Maloney faces 12 counts of shooting into a building and two counts of shooting from a moving vehicle.
"This guy had a plan of shooting up a bunch more houses," Mesri said. "We were able to recover a ledger from his possession that showed all the addresses that he shot up."
Detectives believe he was targeting 10 more addresses to shoot at.
"This arrest today potentially saved lives," Mesri said. "This is very concerning to all of us."
WATCH BELOW: Sheriff's office announces arrest of 'serial shooter'
Deputies said no one was hurt in the shootings.
The sheriff's office said detectives from the Boynton Beach Police Department, Delray Beach Police Department and Ocean Ridge Police Department all assisted in the investigation.
The Boynton Beach Police Department sent a statement Thursday that outlined the shooting that took place in their jurisdiction:
On April 21, 2025, at about 9 a.m., officers responded to reports of a suspicious incident at Trulieve, 1534 SW 8th Street in Boynton Beach. Upon arrival, officers immediately observed several bullet holes scattered throughout the storefront. Footage provided to BBPD officers showed a dark sedan stopped in front of the business for roughly one minute at around 12:45 a.m. before leaving the area and heading southbound toward Woolbright Rd. Officers canvassed the area and located seven spent shell casings consistent with a 9 mm handgun.
On May 18, 2025, at about 3 a.m., officers responded to reports of shots fired at the intersection of Cedar Circle and Cedar Drive in Boynton Beach. Officers arrived and met with a resident who stated they had heard a volley of gunshots outside their residence. Footage provided to officers showed a dark-colored sedan coming to a stop at the intersection and firing multiple gunshots from the driver's window. The vehicle then made a quick U-turn and fled the scene. Officers canvassed the area and located eleven spent shell casings consistent with a 9 mm handgun.
On June 6, 2025, around 3:15 a.m., officers responded to reports of a shooting near Southwest 24th Avenue in Boynton Beach. When officers arrived, they found that a resident's home had been shot at multiple times, while four occupants, including children, were asleep inside the home. Footage provided to officers showed a dark sedan leaving the area after the shooting.
On July 14, 2025, officers responded to reports of shots fired near Southwest Fourth Avenue in Boynton Beach. Multiple officers canvassed the area but found no one hurt, no property damage, or shell casings. Later that day, police responded to a report of a spent shell casing near the location of the initial shots-fired call from earlier in the day. Upon arrival, officers located a spent shell casing consistent with a 9 mm handgun.
On July 17, 2025, Boynton Beach officers conducted a felony traffic stop on a vehicle connected to a shots-fired incident that occurred on July 11 in the Ocean Ridge. Boynton Beach contacted Ocean Ridge police, who took over the investigation and located a firearm within the vehicle. Police said that the firearm was then tested and linked to multiple cases throughout the county.
Residents of Boynton Beach told WPTV they were delighted to hear of the arrest.
"I'm glad they found a way to put a stop to it," said Carlens Orelus.
Glad Pouncey said he’s relieved to know the suspect is off the streets.
"I'm glad that they did get him; he's in jail," said Gary Pouncey. "He's going to be due processed, and he'll get what's coming to him."
Mesri said they are still investigating a potential motive.
Maloney made his initial court appearance on Friday morning. He is being held without bond.
