PALM BAY, Fla. – An arrest was made on Wednesday in the altercation that led to a shooting at Eastern Florida State College last month.
Local 6 was at the Brevard County Jail Wednesday as Landyer Contreras posted his $15,000 bond. He was the only person involved in the fight that was charged with aggravated battery.
Last month, Palm Bay police say a 24-year-old student at Eastern Florida State College shot a man at the college's Palm Bay campus.
Police say it started when a verbal altercation between the student, Landrick Hamilton, and two brothers, Landyer and Amado Contreras, turned physical.
According to the arrest affidavit, the Contreras brothers allege they were at the school picking up transcripts. At some point, the pair ran into Hamilton and began a verbal argument.
Documents show the brothers "advanced toward" Hamilton, who then responded by hitting Amado with a pool cue and a fight ensued. The three continued fighting and at one point Hamilton grabbed a handgun and shot Amado in the chest.
Police say Landyer then grabbed the handgun and pistol-whipped Hamilton with it.
"I was defending myself and my brother," Landyer said when asked if he was defending himself.
But Hamilton also claims he was defending himself.
However, the State Attorney's Office found probably cause to only slap Landyer Contreras with aggravated battery charges because the fight evolved to where he became the aggressor when he beat Hamilton with the gun.
Contreras' brother Amado and the shooter, Landrick Hamilton will be charged with two misdemeanors, breach of peace and disorderly conduct.
Police have not brought charges to Hamilton for firing the shot.
Since the shooting, Eastern Florida State College has revised its policy on guns on campus and now allows students to keep a gun locked in their car in the parking lot.