Last Updated: 3:42 p.m.
For the second time in eight days, Flagler County was the scene of a night shooting outside a business, following an argument that escalated.
Shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday, an 18-year-old man was shot in the back outside the Bunnell Circle K, at 500 East Moody Boulevard, authorities say. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office this afternoon said the shooter is believed to have fired at least four times at the victim.
Flagler County Fire Rescue transported the man by rescue to Halifax hospital in Daytona Beach, Fire Chief Don Petito said. The man survived the night. Trauma One, the emergency helicopter, had been called in, but its arrival time was to be 20 minutes. Rescuers found it quicker to drive south. (Flagler County Fire Flight, the county’s own emergency helicopter, goes out of service at 8 p.m. because of staffing limitations, and the county commission’s continued resistance to restoring more expansive hours. The helicopter is in service only between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.)
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office is seeking a suspect captured in surveillance video–a young, black man wearing a white baseball cap and a black t-shirt imprinted with a large illustration and wording (see above). A preliminary sheriff’s incident report redacts the name of the suspect, suggesting that his identity may have been established.
The case report notes that deputies were not far from the scene, assisting the Bunnell Police Department in a security detail for “a large gathering” in the area of the Bank of America, when they heard five to eight gunshots. Once at the scene, “everyone” was shouting the name of the suspect–and additional gunshots were reported in the area of East Court Street and South Moore Street.
“I asked multiple individuals if they saw anything and they all advised they did not see anything but did hear the gunshots that occurred in the area of E Court St and S Moore St.,” a deputy reported.
The Bunnell Police Department and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office had responded to the scene, initially with the sheriff’s office assisting. Witnesses described a couple of large gatherings at the Dollar store, diagonally across the street from the Circle K, and at the Circle K itself. They describe an argument between women that escalated, then the shooting.
Bunnell Police Chief Tom Foster did not return a call. Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson was boarding a plane inbound from Boston this morning and could not be reached until later this morning. Bunnell Vice Mayor John Rogers had spoken with Foster just before 8 this morning. “The fellow is still alive, he was shot in the back, they do have a suspect, they turned it over to the sheriff to work it,” Rogers said. “Chief Foster talked to [Flagler County Sheriff Rick] Staly, they’re taking over the investigation, which is a good thing, they’ve got resources.”
A sheriff’s spokesperson confirmed that sheriff’s detectives took the lead in the case.
Rogers had driven by the scene earlier that afternoon. “It’s a shame on Resurrection Sunday,” he said, “I went through there earlier and all the families and everybody seemed to be having a good time. Then later on that night it turned violent. That’s a tragedy.”
Eight days earlier, near a convenience store and shopping strip at the intersection of Palm Coast Parkway and Belle Terre Parkway, 18-year-old Curtis Gray of Flagler Palm Coast High School was gunned down after an argument shortly after midnight. Marion Gavins Jr., 17, was arrested and charged with murder the following day.
Though the victim in Sunday’s shooting has not yet been identified, a Flagler County school district spokesman said this morning that “the latest information we have is that the victim is not one of our students.”
The last time Bunnell was the scene of a potentially homicidal shooting goes back to last June, when Darryl Wilson, 56, was shot in the head and killed at a house on North Bacher Street. Tammy Almond, 44, was charged with manslaughter. The case is ongoing through court.
In early morning today, the sheriff’s office posted the surveillance stills of the suspect on its Facebook page and a message to the public: “FCSO needs your help identifying the man pictured below. He is wanted for questioning in reference to a shooting that took place earlier this evening at the Circle K at 500 East Moody Blvd in Bunnell. If you have any information please contact FCSO at 386-313-4911 or e-mail is at [email protected].”
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911 and mention Case Number 2019-37325 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers will award up to $5,000.00 for any tips leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Bunnell boy says
At least with the FCSO the case will be closed and an arrest made!
Steve says
Regular ole occurrence. Great time for the 4 Sale sign to go up. Happy Easter culture of the damned
oldtimer says
Today’s “tough guys” always use a gun to settle disputes.I guess none of these punks know how to use fists instead. At least no one gets killed that way
Born and Raised Here says
Shouldn’t the county leaders rotate ON CALLl duties during the holidays ? Sounds like most of them were unavailable during this incident
Wow says
Guns keep us safe. Right.
tulip says
It’s unacceptable that we have only 12 hour medflight service, especially now that this county has grown by huge numbers! I’m sure the BOCC could take some of the money that is used for non essential and wasteful things and put it towards expanding medflight. I guess the only way they will vote to have 24 hour service is when one of their own family or friends or BOCC member needs it and it is not available. As usual, resident needs are at the bottom of the list.
Tired says
I think y’all are missing the point. The helicopter wouldn’t be needed at all if folks weren’t shooting each other up. Additionally, it wouldn’t be needed if our local hospital had a trauma center. How many cases have to be transported out of town for the hospital to consider adding this service?
Insider says
Unacceptable only 12 hours there available??? Most people who get shot get shot at night in the dark not in broad daylight this needs to be fix ASAP our money is just paying these dirty pigs to sit at home with there families on holidays what a joke stop eating donuts and being pigs and do what ur suppose to save people not ruin there lives
Carl Sanderson says
Fire Flight being operable from 8am to 8pm is ridiculous. How many hours could it have been staffed with the 1.1 million dollars the FCBOCC pissed away for the Sears building they do not have a use for or the money to mess around with Bings Landing.. It is time to get rid of the good ole’ boys club and elect some new board members with a “what’s best for Flagler County”attitude and not whats best for me mindset. Where is the transparency they keep talking about?
OG says
These young bucks no nothing about respect. You never pull a gun out unless someone pulls first if you want to prove how tough you are prove it with your fists.
Bunnell boy says
Born and raised here it wasn’t the county leaders, it was the city of Bunnell leaders that were not available. If not for the SO the people in Bunnell would be toast!
really says
Wait til we get a load of the likes of this alleged gun toter
gmath55 says
@ Wow – guns do keep us safe. 18 Little-Known Gun Facts That Prove That Guns Make Us Safer.
https://www.infowars.com/18-little-known-gun-facts-that-prove-that-guns-make-us-safer/
BTW Florida has the most concealed weapon permits in the nation, “nearly double that of the second state, which is Texas.”
https://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2015/apr/15/jeb-bush/which-state-most-gun-permits/
The Realist says
We dont have the money to run fireflight 24 hours a day. Perhaps we would If we stopped paying for the 9 firefighters and fire truck that are housed in Volusia County. Yes they run some of their calls in Flagler County but Volusia County’s only expense is providing a building for them to operate out of. Once again the residents of Flagler County getting a fast one put over on them. And for all you Palm Coasters out there that means you are paying for around 70% of a Volusia County based service!
Jacob Daugherty says
So they have staffing limitations but they’re about to build a 12-15 million dollar Sheriff’s operations center. Hmm
Kalter says
It’s NOT the GUNS it’s the idiots using them!
Concerned Citizen says
@ Tulip
Finally someone who feels the way I do.
As an emergency services volunteer I see how essential Fire Flight is. From medivac to fire fighting and LEO assist it’s a valuable platform. The fact that the BOCC can’t maintain a budget to support this essential service is maddening. But we can pay County Administrators 200K plus a year.
As a former LEO/ Fire Fighter EMT I will point out how important it is to maintain 24 hour coverage of Fire Flight. If Fire Flight isn’t available first responders on scene ask dispatch to call Air One or Trauma One. This takes extra time.
Dispatch notifies the neighboring county then they have to launch and get here. That takes time. When you declare a trauma alert seconds literally matter. That’s THE WHOLE PURPOSE of medivac.
Now on the same note Fire Flights primary mission is Fire Fighting. Everything else is secondary. If Fire Flight is working a Fire then another helo can be called in. It takes time to land and reconfigure.
To not have coverage after 8pm for 12 hours is not acceptable. And we should reflect that next election. Flagler County is required to provide essential services and it’s not being done. All because we have overpaid and under qualified people making triple digit salaries.
TheTruth says
I agree,with Tulip we need medflight service 24 hours, this community is large enough to warrant one. Wake up Flagler County get with the times of the population of this community. Stop living in the dark ages.
Bunnell boy says
Born and raised, it wasn’t the county officials that weren’t available, it was the city of bunnell officials, per the above story!
In the know says
Please be informed. Before everyone gets up in arms about 12 hour fireflight you should be carrying torches for the fact that the county has lowered staffing to two firefighters on all engine companys except the one that half covers volusia county.
The City Of Bunnell Helped Create The Issue says
The City Of Bunnell Helped Create The Issue because of greediness. It is amazing that you didn’t hear about the street party that was going on in Bunnell on Easter day. They gave the heads up on the past article with the City of Bunnell and the new ordinance with the filming of music videos stated as, Further productions are planned, she said, including an Easter event near the Carver Center, featuring music, a DJ, and an Easter egg hunt for young people. There was also a flyer from one of the local residents who is involved with this all. On the way home every gas station had over 20 people in the parking lots. Quite funny that nobody has linked the shooting to the Easter event. Time for everyone to wake up, just maybe the city got a big check and this is why you don’t hear about it. Just another legal pay off!
vor says
So… all those people were there and no one saw anything. This why crime continues!
mark101 says
All of these people talking about medflight service, why not start a petition, chatting on a news site is not the best way. IF you want it so bad do the leg work to get it done.