PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A heated argument over a parking spot outside the Pollo Tropical on Friday evening resulted in a shooting that left a 37-year-old man with a chest wound, according to the incident report and multiple witnesses who spoke to responding officers.
What witnesses told police
Investigators said several patrons and bystanders provided accounts of the events leading up to the shooting. The victim, identified in the report as Christopher Harris, 37, was outside the restaurant when the confrontation began, witnesses told officers.
- One witness, seated at a high-top table inside the restaurant, said he heard a verbal dispute between two men outside. He described seeing Harris push another man during the confrontation, then heard a gunshot after the argument continued.
- That same witness told police Harris returned inside after being struck, asked someone to call 911 and was listed as the report’s victim.
- Another witness, arriving to pick up an Uber order, said a man pulled into a parking space and another vehicle then took the spot in front of them. The witness said the man walked toward the restaurant while staring, then began shouting once he reached the door.
- A separate person picking up a DoorDash order described Harris as yelling at another man about the parking space. The witness said Harris held the door open, approached the other man and a sound like a gunshot followed.
Sequence and setting
According to the collected statements, the confrontation initiated over a parking dispute in the restaurant’s lot. Witnesses reported verbal hostility that escalated to physical contact — at least one shove — before a firearm was produced and discharged.
“He was so close to the other person that they were almost touching before I saw the other person pull out a firearm and shoot,” one witness told police, according to the report.
The exact timing of the shooting is recorded in the police report as occurring last weekend; investigators were on scene and took witness statements as part of their initial probe. The report identifies Harris as the individual who was shot in the chest, but it does not detail his medical condition beyond that description in the statements.
Police response and investigation
Responding officers documented multiple witness accounts in the incident report. The accounts share a consistent outline: a dispute originating over a parking space, an escalation to shouting and physical contact, and a subsequent discharge of a firearm that struck Harris.
At this stage, the report focuses on gathering witness testimony and outlining the sequence witnessed by those present. The release did not include further information on suspects, arrests, or any charges filed following the shooting.
| Detail | Information from report |
|---|---|
| Location | Pollo Tropical, Port St. Lucie |
| Reported cause | Parking dispute |
| Victim | Christopher Harris, 37 (gunshot wound to chest) |
| Sources | Multiple eyewitness statements in police report |
Community concerns and next steps
Incidents that begin over seemingly minor disputes and escalate to gun violence raise immediate safety concerns for patrons and employees of area businesses. The presence of multiple witnesses who observed parts of the confrontation should help investigators reconstruct the events, but public information released so far remains limited to what is recorded in the police report.
Port St. Lucie police will likely continue collecting evidence and statements as they work to identify and locate any suspect or suspects involved in the shooting. Anyone with additional information or video of the incident is urged to contact law enforcement to assist with the investigation.
This news organization will follow updates from police and publish new details as they become available.
