ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A disagreement over payment at a St. Petersburg construction site turned deadly Friday afternoon when a subcontractor fatally shot a general contractor.
The incident occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. at 1400 Farragut Drive North, a vacant house undergoing renovations. According to police, a dispute arose between the general contractor, Mostafa M. Ah Abdo, and a tile worker subcontractor regarding payment for completed work.
The argument escalated, and the tile worker began destroying the finished tile work in frustration. In response, Ah Abdo retrieved a firearm from his truck and threatened the tile worker.
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The situation took a tragic turn when the tile worker’s father, Yamel P. Benitez, who was also working at the site, intervened. Benitez drew his own firearm and shot Ah Abdo, who later died from his injuries.
After a thorough investigation, detectives determined that Benitez acted in self-defense and defense of his son. No charges will be filed against Benitez.
Previous Report: A workplace argument at a St. Petersburg construction site turned fatal Friday afternoon, leaving one man dead and another facing a potential homicide investigation.
Police responded to reports of a shooting at 1400 Farragut Drive North around 1:30 p.m. The address is a vacant house currently under construction.
According to preliminary information, an altercation broke out between two men at the job site, leading to one man being shot. The victim was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but tragically succumbed to those injuries.
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Detectives are currently interviewing witnesses and individuals present at the scene, including the shooter. No arrests have been made at this time.
The investigation is ongoing, and police are withholding further details as they work to determine the exact circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
Initial Report: St. Petersburg police are investigating a shooting that left a man in critical condition Friday afternoon.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting at 1400 Farragut Drive North shortly after 1:30 p.m. Upon arrival, they found an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. He is currently listed in extremely critical condition.
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Police have not released any further details about the incident, including the circumstances surrounding the shooting or any information about potential suspects.
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