Fight over four-wheeler ends in deadly shooting in Bowling Green
Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office
BOWLING GREEN, Fla. - The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating a deadly shooting involving two brothers.
On Monday morning, deputies were called to 290 Bowling Green Road for reports of a shooting.
Jose Rivera, 41, of Wauchula, called 911 to say he shot his brother in self-defense at a harvesting business where Jose works.
When first responders arrived, they found Samuel Rivera, 32, with three gunshot wounds. They performed life-saving measures, but he died at the hospital.
According to witnesses and the investigation so far, Samuel had an argument with Jose at a family party on Sunday regarding Samuel wanting to borrow a family member's four-wheeler.
Jose would not allow Samuel to borrow it due to the fact that Samuel previously battered the owner of the four-wheeler back in June of last year.
On Monday morning, Samuel told different family members that he was still angry with Jose and that he was going to "beat his a**."
Samuel went to Jose's place of business on Monday morning prior to Jose arriving. When Jose arrived, Samuel confronted Jose.
Witnesses say Jose kept his hands in his pockets as Samuel attacked him. While being attacked, investigators say Jose got a handgun from inside his truck.
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Samuel grabbed the gun and a struggle for possession of the gun followed – at which point one round was fired, striking Samuel on the top of his foot. Investigators say Samuel looked down at his foot, then aggressively charged Jose again with his fists clenched. Jose then shot Samuel two times in his upper body.
Samuel is a registered violent felony offender in Florida and was on probation at the time this incident occurred.
His criminal history includes 12 previous felonies and four previous misdemeanors dating back to 2012.
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In 2015, he was sentenced to five years in prison for aggravated stalking in Hardee County.
"This investigation is still ongoing, but based on witnesses at the scene, it appears that Samuel Rivera, a violent and out-of-control convicted felon, through his own actions, created such an element of fear that the victim was forced to protect himself with a firearm. Trying to solve a dispute with violence never ends well," said Sheriff Grady Judd.