BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — New details have emerged about a deadly shooting Monday in Boynton Beach where investigators say two brothers were killed at an office building.
WATCH BELOW: 'The tree is a hero, it protected those houses,' Linda tells WPTV's Joel Lopez
Boynton Beach police said Charles and Richard Geragi were shot and killed by Nesar Dawla.
According to investigators, Dawla drove away after the shooting and later shot and killed himself in the Leisureville Community. As far as a motive, police said Dawla's brother was convicted of defrauding the victims of $5 million. It was alleged Dawla was also involved, but charges were never filed.
Monday, Boynton Beach police say the victims were meeting with the suspect in hopes of getting some of their money back. Investigators say during the meeting, Dawla shot and killed both of the men.
Community left shaken
The deadly chase ended in the Leisureville 55-plus community, where residents woke up with questions about what happened before Dawla took his life and crashed into a tree moments after shooting the two brothers.
"The tree is a hero, it protected those houses," said Leisureville resident, Linda. "It was very scary."
The splintered tree serves as a chilling reminder of the deadly shooting. Dean Kingsley, who lives in Leisureville, said residents didn't initially realize what had happened.
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"We didn't realize that this guy was already dead in his car," Kingsley said. "I have never seen so many police cars in my life."
When asked how he felt seeing the police response, Kingsley said he was "scared to death."
"I'd still like to know who they killed over there and why," Kingsley said.
Rising crime concerns
While the shooting didn't start in Leisureville, residents have concerns about what they say has been an increase in crime in the area.
"I think it's increasing," Linda said. "It's not a gated community, everyone has free access. The whole world is crazy."
SIMILAR COVERAGE: 2 dead in Boynton Beach shooting
Last year, WPTV's Joel Lopez covered a shooting in Leisureville, where two neighbors in the community were shot and killed by a man who was staying with a couple in the area.
"With all the shootings that have been going on, you always worry," Kingsley said. "I keep my door locked all the time."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
