WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 22-year-old West Palm Beach man is facing first-degree attempted murder charges in Monday's shooting at a convenience store of a man he knew and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon of bystander purchasing items at a cash register, police said Wednesday.
Eddie Watson was arrested Tuesday and also was arrested on a charge delinquent in possession of a weapon.
Watson was denied bond during his first appearance in court Wednesday morning.
West Palm Beach
Bystander 'happy to be alive' after convenience store shooting
The shooting occurred at Downtown Food Store, 717 N. Tamarind Ave., near Seventh Street around 2:30 p.m. Monday. The grocery store is across from the former Police Athletic League building.
Spokesman Mike Jachles originally said it was not a random shooting.
Ro "Quan Syma" Dre Harris, 18, who knew the suspect, was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center with life-threatening injuries to his left arm and left upper chest. The bystander, Marcus Millines, 31, of Riviera Beach, was taken into a trauma room at the hospital and was alert with injuries to his right upper chest, according to the arrest report.
Millinese told investigators that he was in line waiting to purchase tobacco products and was standing behind another man, who was later identified at Harris.
"The suspect made an unknown comment to the shooting victim (Harris) and brandished a firearm," according to the arrest report. "The suspect then began shooting. As the suspect was shooting at the victim, the suspect also shot Millinese."
Two employees, Mohammed Rahman and Mohamad Rashid, were in the store. Rashid was working the register and Rahman was behind the counter completing inventory.
The entire shooting was captured on surveillance video. A detective "immediately recognized the suspect as being Eddie Watson from several previous encounters," according to the report.
Rashi also identified the suspect in a six-person photographic lineup, police said.