South Florida firefighter accused of shooting at man in drunken rage

Janeen McKenzie arrested on aggravated battery charge

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A Pompano Beach firefighter was arrested in Palm Beach County after a night of boozing and foreplay led her to open fire at her date, deputies said.

Janeen McKenzie, a 46-year-old firefighter employed by Pompano Beach Fire Rescue, was arrested Thursday, WPLG reports.

Recommended Videos



According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrest report, the incident occurred early Saturday morning after a night of drinking.

Anthony Santos told deputies he met McKenzie at a bar and drove her home, where she invited him inside. Santos said she poured a glass of wine and continued to drink before they started to kiss and she showed him her bedroom.

Santos, 35, said she insisted that he drink some wine, so he took a sip and placed the glass down. After a few minutes in the bedroom, they walked back to the hallway, where McKenzie pressed her body against his, kissed and hugged him. He said McKenzie pulled him closer, grabbed his hands and placed them around her neck.

That's when Santos pulled his hands away and began to leave because "things were getting weird," he told deputies.

Santos said McKenzie walked to the kitchen and poured a second glass of wine, so he moved her hand away and told her she had enough. Santos said McKenzie's attitude changed at that point, and she asked him to look inside the drawer of a nightstand in the dining room. He saw a pistol, shut the drawer and continued to leave.

Moments later, Santos said, McKenzie had the gun in her hand and was pointing it at him. Santos said she fired a shot that came close to his face as he was just outside the front door.

McKenzie ordered him to the ground several times, but Santos refused, so she fired at him twice more, with both bullets striking the asphalt, Santos told deputies.

Deputies said McKenzie fired a fourth shot as they arrived.

McKenzie told deputies she couldn't recall most of what happened except Santos choking her on the bed, causing her to get scared and grab the gun from her nightstand. Deputies said she didn't appear to have any signs of injury to her neck and had an odor of alcohol emanating from her breath.

She was arrested on a charge aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.


Recommended Videos