>> RIGHT NOW AT 5.30 A DANGEROUS CONFRONTATION CAUGHT
ON CAMERA A JACKSONVILLE BEACH MAN DRAWING HIS GUN ON ANOTHER MAN CALLED BREAKING INTO HIS
PICKUP TRUCK.
>> THE OWNER SAYS THE CROOK CHARGED AT HIM WITH A METAL PIPE.
>>TARIK MINOR: THIS HAPPENED
FRIDAY AT AN OCEANFRONT
CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX IN SOUTH
JACKSONVILLE OBESE IN NOW.
2 PEOPLE ARE BEHIND BARS ONLY
ON NEWS 4 JAX THIS EVENING
REPORTER VIC MICOLUCCI JOINING
US LIVE
WITH HOW ALL OF THIS UNFOLD.
VICK THAT VIDEO IS DRAMATIC.
>> IT IS STARK AND THAT MAN TELLS ME HE WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD. HE WAS HEADING DOWN FROM
HIS CONDO TRYING
TO GO TO THE GYM AND THE BANK
THAT’S WHEN HE SAW THIS MAN
RUMMAGING THROUGH HIS STUFF
WHEN HE CONFRONTED HIM, THE
PERSON CAME WITH A PIPE VERY
SIMILAR TO A TIRE IRON AND THEN
APPROACHED HIM THAT’S WHEN HE
DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO
ESCALATE IT AND PULLED HIS GUN
AND HANDLE THE SITUATION.
>> YOU
>> TENSE MOMENTS AS STEVE
FITZGERALD WALKS TO HIS TRUCK
AND TO DISCOVER SOMEONE
RUMMAGING THROUGH IT. THE
BURGLAR PULLING OUT A METAL
PIPE.
>> WELL, THE WAY
YOU KNOW I OWE IT ALL.
>> THE CROOK LUNGES AT
FITZGERALD AND CHASES HIM UNTIL
THIS.
FITZGERALD WHO HAS HIS FLORIDA CONCEALED CARRY LICENSE, PULLS OUT HIS
HANDGUN WHICH SENDS THE
CRIMINAL RUNNING. HAVE YOU EVER
HAD TO PULL IT NEVER
NEVER HE’S
THANKFUL. HE’S TRAINED TO 4
SPLIT SECOND SCENARIO IS JUST
LIKE THIS. IF YOU’RE
GOING TO.
>> I GET A CONCEALED WEAPON
PERMIT OR OR THINKING ABOUT
PURCHASING A GUN. TRAINING
TRAINING TRAINING. >> THE MAN RAN OFF AND HIS ACCOMPLICE IN THE TRUCK TRIED
TO DRIVE AWAY. BUT FITZGERALD
STOPPED HER UNTIL POLICE
GOT HERE OFFICERS ARRESTED 22
YEAR-OLD ROBERTO IS WEIGHING A
MAN ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER AND
LINKED HIM TO
THE CRIME. BOTH HE AND THE
WOMAN CATALINA ROMAN ALREADY
HAD WARRANTS.
>> YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND
YOURSELF.
>> IN THE EVENT THAT YOU BEING.
THREATEN.
THREATEN. >> NEWS 4 JAX CRIME AND SAFETY EXPERT KEN JEFFERSON A FORMER
JACKSONVILLE SHERIFF’S OFFICER
DOES NOT RECOMMEND
CONFRONTING CRIMINALS. BUT SAYS
FITZGERALD HANDLED A DANGEROUS
STANDOFF APPROPRIATELY. >> SINCE HE WAS IN INVOLVED IN THIS SITUATION. HE DID A GOOD
JOB OF PROTECTING HIMSELF.
AND MAKING SURE NO ONE ELSE GOT
HURT
AS WELL.
>> FITZGERALD THANKFUL HE IS
OKAY AND THAT HE DID NOT HAVE
TO SHOOT. GLAD
YOU DID.
>> I’M VERY GLAD I DID NOT IT’S
NOT GOOD FOR.
USE LETHAL FORCE AGAINST SOMEBODY IT’S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY.
>> AND TONIGHT HE WANTS TO REITERATE IF YOU DO LAWFULLY CARRY A GUN MAKE SURE THAT YOU
KNOW THE LAWS FOR YOUR STATE
MAKE SURE THAT YOU GO THROUGH A
LOT OF TRAINING. YOU KNOW WHAT
TO DO AND YOU
CAN EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
HE SAYS IT HAPPENED SO MUCH
FASTER THEN WHAT HE THOUGHT
WOULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN IF HE WAS
IN A SCENARIO
LIKE THIS. WE’RE LIVE IN
JACKSONVILLE BEACH. I’M VIC
MICOLUCCI CHANNEL 4. THE
LOCAL STATION.
>>TARIK MINOR: THEY DID FITZ
GERALD DIDN’T GET ANY YOU KNOW
PUSHED
BACK FOR FOR PULLING HIS WEAPON
AND A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT
QUESTION THAT DECISION IN A LOT
OF PEOPLE MIGHT AGREE WITH IT.
A 100%.
>> NO
PUSHBACK FOR HIM HE SAYS THAT
THE POLICE OFFICERS FROM
JACKSONVILLE
BEACH CAME VERY QUICKLY
OBVIOUSLY THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT
WAS GOING ON SO HE RAISED HIS
HANDS HE PUTS HIS HANDS UP.
THEY CAME THEY TOOK THE GUN
FROM HIM, THEY PUT HIM IN
HANDCUFFS VERY QUICKLY,
BUT IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR
THEM TO REALIZE THAT HE WAS THE
VICTIM AND NOT THE CRIMINAL
HERE. HE SAYS THAT THEY
HANDLE THIS PROFESSIONALLY THEY
DID A GREAT JOB AND HE’S VERY
GRATEFUL FOR ALL THEY DID
INCLUDING PUTTING THIS MAN AS
WELL AS HIS ACCUSED ACCOMPLICE