EUSTIS, Fla. – A 47-year-old man was shot and killed in Eustis Wednesday morning after attacking his rival in a love triangle, police said.
The fatal shooting happened around 7 a.m. at the Devonshire Apartments on North County Road 19A.
Eustis police said officers were called to the complex and found a man, identified as Eddie Alexis Vazquez Muniz, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Muniz was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said.
At a news conference, Eustis police chief Craig Capri said a person of interest remained at the scene and a firearm was recovered. The 31-year-old man was questioned about the shooting but has since been released, investigators said. The shooting appears to be a case of self-defense at this time, according to Capri.
“It appears that this was a relationship triangle between the two males between — the two males that were in this altercation — and a female,” Capri said.
Watch the full news conference in the media player below:
Police said an ongoing argument between the two men escalated Wednesday when Muniz attacked the other man, striking him multiple times in the head with what appeared to be brass knuckles.
After hitting the man, Muniz chased him around the apartment complex, Capri said. After being dazed by the multiple strikes to his head, the man said he saw Muniz reach into his waistband and, fearing for his own life, pulled out a gun and fired multiples shots at Muniz, according to investigators.
“It appears at this time that there might not be any charges coming. That’s what it is heading towards. It’s an unfortunate situation,” Capri said.
Capri said Muniz set up a phone on a tripod to capture the fight after taking his children to his vehicle, but law enforcement has not been able to view what may be on the phone yet since they don’t have the passcode.
“He came back, set up the tripod with his phone and waited for our shooter to come out of the apartment and attacked him,” Capri said.
According to police, the two men and the woman all lived in the same apartment complex.
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