Deputies responded to reports of a man shooting a rifle at Smuggler’s Cove Marina in Islamorada late Saturday. They arrested a man for shooting a pellet rifle at an occupied vehicle.
At 10:30 p.m. Sheriff’s Office dispatchers received reports first of a man firing a rifle repeatedly at the marina and then of a man shooting a rifle at an occupied vehicle in the parking lot. When deputies arrived, they saw a man standing on a balcony. They ordered him to show them is hands, but he failed to comply, instead walking away. He returned a short time later, this time holding his hands up.
Deputies handcuffed him and then searched his room, which opened off the balcony. They found a pellet rifle and an open can of pellets. The television set in the room had a hole in the middle as if it had been shot by a pellet.
Deputies met with people who’d called to report the incident. They all said they heard multiple shots they thought were from a gun. One of them reported seeing 30 year old John Lear of Tavernier walking around carrying what appeared to be a .22 caliber rifle. One man reported he was in his truck in the parking lot of the marina and heard something that sounded like bullet hit the truck. There was damage on the driver’s side of the truck.
Lear was charged with shooting a missile at an occupied vehicle. He was taken to jail.