Target Practice Shooters Blamed For Florida Fisherman’s Mysterious Death

[FloridaFishinFool]

http://nypost.com/2017/10/18/target-practice-shooters-blamed-for-fishermans-mysterious-death/

Target Practice Shooters Blamed For Florida Fisherman's Mysterious Death

By Joshua Rhett Miller

October 18, 2017


Authorities in Florida cracked the mystery behind what caused a fisherman to be killed in a barrage of bullets on the outskirts of the Everglades this year — blaming two men shooting a gun nearby for target practice.

Lawrence Ramdass, 46, was fatally shot in the chest while fishing from a boat in the Holey Land Wildlife Management Area in Palm Beach County in July. The shots – about 15 in all – were fired from a .45-caliber gun used for target practice by two men who were about one-third of a mile away, officials from the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office told the Sun Sentinel.

The two men will not be charged, authorities said.

"Investigators found no criminal intent and this appears to be a tragic accident," sheriff spokesman Teri Barbera told the newspaper. "PBSO detectives met with members of the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office and all agreed that there is no probable cause for an arrest at this time."

The shooters, identified as Ricardo Galvan and Christian Salcedo, couldn't see Ramdass in the area — which is known to a hotbed for illegal target shooting in Palm Beach County – and detectives aren't sure which one fired the round that killed Ramdass, who was fishing with his uncle and another man.

Both Galvan and Salcedo could not be reached for comment, the Sun Sentinel reports. But Ramdass' sister, Sandy Stallone, said she was "disappointed" that no charges will be filed in her brother's death.

"It wasn't hunting season, and they shouldn't be firing a weapon in the first place," she told the newspaper. "There are signs out there saying it's illegal to shoot. Anyone that fires a weapon, you're responsible for your actions, accident or no accident. I'm disappointed with our system. What example does this set for us?"

Investigators said in July that the shooting may have been accidental, but refused to indicate why they believed that and also did not disclose how many times Ramdass was hit. His cousin, Vineta Harnarrine, told CBS Miami that witnesses recalled hearing more than a dozen rounds fired in less than a minute, one of which struck Ramdass.

"You don't go out in the wild and fire shots and fire shots out of your sight where you don't see what you're shooting or out or who is behind a bush someplace or a corner that you can't see," Harnarrine told the station in July.

The pain of losing Ramdass has been so unbearable for his mother that she "doesn't want to live anymore," Harnarrine said.

After detectives tracked down Galvan using a police sketch and a fingerprint retrieved from the scene, he voluntarily submitted the gun for testing, according to the sheriff's office. Both Galvan and Salcedo cooperated with investigators and admitted taking turns shooting the gun that afternoon, with tests later confirming that, authorities said.

"The victim's position was concealed from the target range by the target berm and a large amount of brush and tall grass," Barbera told the Sun Sentinel. "Galvan and Salcedo expected that no one would, or even could be behind the berm that they were shooting at. Although Galvan and Salcedo were cooperative, it cannot be determined who fired the fatal shot that struck and killed Lawrence."

[Capt. BassinLou]

Thank you for posting this follow up article FFF. This case was very tragic, and it has effected me so much so that I will never be returning to the Holey lands. I know several of my friends here on the forum that fish the Holey lands and it could have been any one of us on that day. Sadly, an angler life's was taken due to a careless accident.

[SteelHorseCowboy]

About 590 yards, 45 caliber, and a berm involved? Something's wrong here.

[Lipripper]

Thanks FFF for the article and a sad story and Lou I don't blame you for not wanting to go back out there again.

[FloridaFishinFool]

You're welcome guys... I just wanted to bring a conclusion to this story that had been posted earlier...

You never know when it is your time- or how.

[Donald Garner]

Tks for the follow up. 

[Sandman7925]

Assuming it's 45acp I wouldn't think that round would still have enough velocity at that range to kill.


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[Captsteve]

That's why I carry a 1911

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[Deadeye]

A .22 LR Bullet will carry over a Mile distance. I remember reading that on the boxes I bought as a kid for shooting. We always made sure of our background.

Sadly this is not the only case of instances of this happening. There is/was a Shooting Range set up near where my SIL owns property. It was "OK" but not great. It did have a Big Backstop built into it, but many did not use it. Many people simply shot out over the open ground onto a Federal Wifelife Preserve. One day some FWC Wardens were out there doing some work (they patrol and maintain the Preserve) and were pinned down by shooting for several minutes or hours, not really sure just how long.

People need to think before they shoot. Once a bullet is released it has a mind of it's own and you can not stop it without a Proper Backstop.

[Capt. BassinLou]

That's why I carry a 1911

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Capt, in this tragic case, even if the victim had a gun himself, it wouldn't have made a difference. I have been out there once and there where people shooting off into the distance shooting from 3 different places. Crazy!!

[FD]

About 590 yards, 45 caliber, and a berm involved? Something's wrong here.

230 gr with an initial mv of 825 fps should have dropped about 75 feet in 500 yds if my math is correct. Were they hunting birds?  Smells a little fishy.


Sent from the end of the paved road.....

[SteelHorseCowboy]

That's the first thing I thought. Except 1/3 of a mile is a bit closer to 600 yards.
I've shot long distances with my old 1911, just for fun. At 100 yards, you can see that fat, heavy bullet flying downrange in a rainbow arc.

[Captsteve]

sounds like a cover up

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[SFL BassHunter]

How do you not charge them with something? I don't get it.
If it is illegal to shoot out there outside of hunting season then how are they not being charged for breaking a law?

Can't determine who shot the guy? Charge them both.

If you run over someone and kill them with your car by accident, and you were doing something illegal like say driving under the influence when it happened, you'll probably be charged with vehicular manslaughter.

[SteelHorseCowboy]

I agree. Negligence, trespassing maybe? And resulting in a man's death.

If that's not pretty much the definition of some degree of manslaughter, I don't know what the hell is.

[Sandman7925]

The law doesn't work in "just charge them both" way.  If you can't determine who fired the shot then a trial is a waste of tax dollars as it's dead on a arrival in a court of law.
And while some may not agree law enforcement will and does take a persons/suspect overall attitude and and cooperation in consideration to a situation when determining whether its reasonable to "just find something to charge them with".



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[big g]

Charge them with something.  It will eventually go to a civil trial and whoever brought that gun out there and provided the weapon will ultimately be responsible.  You better know where your gun is pointed and it is a safe shooting range.  You have that responsibility as a gun owner.  This will be a big civil trial, even if there are no criminal charges.

I had confidence homacide would eventually find these careless guys.  They knew what they did that day, it was all over the news.  They didn't step forward either.  Good job police officers!

[SFL BassHunter]

Charge them with something.  It will eventually go to a civil trial and whoever brought that gun out there and provided the weapon will ultimately be responsible.  You better know where your gun is pointed and it is a safe shooting range.  You have that responsibility as a gun owner.  This will be a big civil trial, even if there are no criminal charges.

I had confidence homacide would eventually find these careless guys.  They knew what they did that day, it was all over the news.  They didn't step forward either.  Good job police officers!

I agree with you 100% George.

[BarryFL]

I agree with you 100% George.

Problem with morons that do stuff like this is that they don't have anything worth going after in a civil case. Hard to get the courts to award and collect from people that don't have much.

Lock  them both up until they decide to tell who pulled the trigger.

-Barry-

[FD]

If you own a gun, you are responsible for all the bullets coming out of it.


Sent from the end of the paved road.....

[big g]

If you own a gun, you are responsible for all the bullets coming out of it.


Sent from the end of the paved road.....

I could not agree more.  The owner takes the gun out there, he is responsible for what happens with his weapon!  It's a no brainer!

[SteelHorseCowboy]

If you own a gun, you are responsible for all the bullets coming out of it.


Sent from the end of the paved road.....

Damn straight, no questions asked. Even if it gets stolen.

I could not agree more.  The owner takes the gun out there, he is responsible for what happens with his weapon!  It's a no brainer!

This is exactly why I don't loan guns. I have a beater rifle I'll let family and friends use if they're hunting WITH me. Otherwise, the only time any of my guns are used by someone else is at the real, actual range run by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office, or behind my parents' place, and still only if I'm supervising. If anyone gets shot behind their place, they're trespassing to begin with. It'd still be a tragedy, they and I are the types who'd prefer to tell a trespasser to leave and call LEO if they refuse. But at least if a trespasser gets hit, it won't be due to negligence on our part.