NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A decorated U.S. Army veteran was fatally shot outside a Walmart after a dispute over a parking space escalated into a deadly confrontation, according to Florida authorities. The woman who fired the shot told investigators she acted in self-defense, and prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine whether charges will be filed.
The victim, 62-year-old retired Army Staff Sgt. Bart Diguglielmo, was shot shortly before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the parking lot of the North Lauderdale Walmart, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said. The father of three was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Parking Dispute Turned Deadly
Investigators said Diguglielmo and an unidentified woman became involved in a verbal argument over a parking space before the confrontation escalated.
Video recorded by a witness and published by local media appears to show the woman exiting her vehicle while holding a handgun as the two continue arguing. The footage shows Diguglielmo following the woman around a parked vehicle before she raises the firearm and fires a single shot. Authorities are reviewing the video as part of their investigation.
According to the New York Post, witnesses said the woman became visibly distraught as police investigated the fatal shooting. Her identity has not been released:
“I was walking up and heard a lady screaming,” David Anderson told CBS News Miami. “She was screaming and she was saying a lot of things.”
Video shared on social media captured the alleged dispute, as a woman wearing a white shirt stepped out of her car with a gun in her hand, talking back to a man, believed to be Diguglielmo, wearing a gray shirt, who had walked up on her.
The two shoppers repeatedly pointed at each other during the argument and, at one point, the man put both his arms in the air as they stood in an empty parking space, according to video obtained by WPLG.
Diguglielmo appears to follow the woman around another car as she aims the gun at him before a single gunshot rings out and he collapses to the ground.
Decorated Veteran Remembered
Family members described Diguglielmo as a decorated Desert Storm veteran who served as a combat medic, combat nurse, and tactical communications specialist during his Army career.
Originally from Hammonton, New Jersey, he later worked as a registered nurse after retiring from military service and had been living in South Florida.
“He was a Christian man and a very good person and would not hurt anyone,” his sister told local media.
Witnesses Describe Chaotic Scene
Witnesses said they heard shouting moments before the shooting and later saw the woman crying and screaming as deputies secured the scene.
The fatal shooting occurred in broad daylight outside one of the area’s busiest retail centers, drawing a large law enforcement response and temporarily disrupting activity at the store.
Prosecutors Reviewing Case
The Broward Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation, while the Broward State Attorney’s Office will determine whether criminal charges are warranted.
Florida’s self-defense laws, including the state’s Stand Your Ground statute, could become a central issue as prosecutors evaluate the evidence, witness statements and video footage.
Authorities have not announced a timetable for a charging decision.
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