Tow truck driver shoots, kills Florida man during confrontation over car repossession: police
(Courtesy: WSVN)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A tow truck driver was repossessing a car in a South Florida neighborhood on Wednesday when a confrontation with the vehicle's owner turned deadly.
Fort Lauderdale police said the incident happened around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, when the tow truck driver — who authorities have not identified — began connecting the Chevrolet Malibu sedan to his truck in order to repossess it.
"The victim sees him trying to repossess his vehicle, the victim confronts the tow truck driver, some sort of altercation ensued between the victim and the shooter, and that’s when shots were fired," Fort Lauderdale police spokesperson Casey Liening said.
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Police identified the victim as 38-year-old Clarence King.
"He had no weapon. He didn’t even have on shoes. It looked like he’d just got out of bed," one witness told WSVN. "The tow truck driver was just standing over the body on the phone. He looked up, started looking around, started seeing multiple people coming up, and that’s when he started jumping up and down saying, ‘I think I just killed a man.'"
(Courtesy: WSVN)
Another neighbor said King's daughter was just a few feet away from where her father was shot and killed.
"I saw a little bit of the blood," witness Robert Sowell said. "I didn’t see him moving, so, don’t get me wrong, it took me for a bit of a loop because his daughter was actually just standing by the car by herself, so it hit me hard."
Police released audio of the 911 call placed by the tow truck driver moments after the shooting.
"Please! I need, I need, I need police right now!" he could be heard frantically telling dispatchers. "I need, I need, I need ambulance right now!"
Authorities have not said whether any charges will be filed, but said the tow truck driver is cooperating with their investigation.