MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A bizarre shooting spree along Interstate 95 in Martin County left one person hospitalized, and the suspect claimed to deputies he was an undercover CIA agent.
Just after 6 a.m. Sunday, a man pulled into the weigh station at mile marker 93 near Hobe Sound with a gunshot wound to the stomach.
Moments later, an off-duty Riviera Beach police officer pulled over after he saw a car that looked like it has crashed about 14 miles north.
"When he stopped, he was approached by an armed man," said Riviera Beach Major Steven Thomas.
A man, who was bloodied, came running out of the bushes. The officer ordered him to the ground at gunpoint.
It was later determined that the man, Aaron Fedukovich of Ocala, had fired at several vehicles as he drove north on I-95, telling deputies he believed they were part of the mafia.
This is the second time in recent memory where an off-duty Riviera Beach police officer has found himself engaged with an armed suspect on a stretch of I-95 in Martin County.
In February 2020, at the same mile marker, Florida Highway Trooper Joseph Bullock was shot and killed by a driver whose car had broken down.
An off-duty Riviera Beach detective, Jemel Headings, pulled over to the suspicious scene and exchanged gunfire with the man who shot the trooper.
"Situational awareness is something we try to instill in our officers. Always be aware of where you are. Anything can happen," Thomas said.
Thomas said his officer didn't have to stop, but it's an example of what they do whether on or off duty.
"It’s not unique to this agency, police officers throughout the country. We see people who need help, and that's what we do. We stop and try to help people. We're grateful our officer was not injured," Thomas said.
The shooting victim in this case is expected to recover.
Fedukovich faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.