A man in Florida was recently arrested following a shooting at a gas station “over the price of beer,” according to Sunshine State police.
Abdulla Monther, 46, faces 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, according to a criminal complaint affidavit.
The defendant allegedly told law enforcement that “he had a verbal altercation with a customer” that ultimately “led to the shooting,” according to the affidavit.
On June 19, at 11:40 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a shooting. Witness accounts provided the basic narrative.
“Monther, while working as the on-duty clerk, got into an argument with [the customer] over the price of a beer,” according to the witness statement. “During the argument, the customer threw an unknown small object, possibly a piece of paper, at the clerk. Monther responded by retrieving a firearm from under the counter and firing it at the customer, striking him in the right calf muscle.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage provided by the store’s manager supported the witnesses’ claims about the shooting.
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“Surveillance footage from the gas station, voluntarily provided to law enforcement by the store manager, corroborated these accounts,” according to the statement. “The video captured the moment of the argument, after which Monther retrieved a black firearm, racked the slide, and fired it in the direction where [the customer] was standing.”
The sheriff’s office claims Monther taunted the victim following 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,” according to the document.
The defendant was later Mirandized and provided several details about the specific contours of the beer price debate.
From the affidavit, in detail:
[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.
Following the interview, another deputy searched the gas station and discovered the alleged gun used in the shooting, as well as one bullet and a magazine near the scene of the altercation, according to the affidavit.
Monther was eventually arrested.
He was initially detained in the Broward County Jail, but posted a $10,000 bond on Monday and was later released, according to court records.
