Inset: Abdulla Monther (Broward County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The gas station where Monther works in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Google Maps).
A Florida man was recently arrested after a shooting at a gas station “over the price of beer,” Sunshine State police say.
Abdulla Monther, 46, stands accused of one count of aggravated battery, according to Broward County Sheriff’s Office records.
The incident occurred at a Valero gas station in Fort Lauderdale, where Monther works as a clerk, a criminal complaint affidavit shows.
When law enforcement arrived, the defendant reportedly informed them “he had a verbal dispute with a customer” that “resulted in the shooting,” according to the affidavit.
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On June 19, at 11:40 p.m., deputies arrived in response to calls about a shooting. Witness accounts provided the basic narrative.
“Monther, who was serving as the clerk on duty, engaged in an argument with [the customer] regarding the cost of a beer,” the affidavit states. “During this confrontation, [the customer] tossed some small item, possibly a piece of paper, at the clerk. In retaliation, Monther accessed a firearm from beneath the counter and fired it at [the customer], hitting him in the right calf.”
The affidavit says surveillance footage provided by the store’s manager more or less substantiated what the witnesses said about the shooting.
“Surveillance footage obtained from the gas station, which the store manager willingly shared with law enforcement, supported these statements,” the affidavit continues. “The video displayed the argument, followed by Monther reaching for a black firearm, preparing it, and shooting in the vicinity where [the customer] was located.”
The sheriff’s office alleges Monther taunted the victim after the violence.
“Right after the shooting, Monther stated, ‘P– ass N–’ [and] went around the counter to follow the victim still holding a firearm in his hand,” the affidavit continues.
The defendant was later Mirandized and offered several details about the precise contours of the argument about the beer price.
From the affidavit, at length:
[Monther] stated that he was involved in an argument with a customer over an additional fifty cents needed to purchase a beer. During this disagreement, the victim grabbed several packs of “Now and Later” candies and pushed them toward the clerk, saying, “I am going to kill you. You are going to die here tonight.” [Monther] indicated that the victim was loud and aggressive, which made him feel uncomfortable. As a result, [Monther] pulled out a 9mm Sig Sauer P226 … and fired at the victim, striking him in the calf. [Monther] claimed that he intentionally aimed the firearm at the floor in an effort to avoid hitting the victim directly.
After the interview, another deputy performed a sweep of the gas station and recovered the gun allegedly used in the shooting as well as one bullet and a magazine near where the altercation occurred, according to the affidavit.
Monther was subsequently arrested.
He was initially jailed in the Broward County Jail but posted $10,000 bond on Monday and has since been released, court records show.
