The 49-year-old suspect took his ex-girlfriend hostage and shot her new boyfriend dead shortly after the Monday night Narcotics Anonymous meeting began.
Three people, including an armed suspect and his ex-girlfriend, are dead following a hostage situation at a Monday evening Narcotics Anonymous meeting in Edgewater, Florida, police said.
Erica Hoffman, 33, and Ian Greenfield, 59, were shot dead in the standoff. The shooter, Quinton Francis Hunter, 49, later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said in a Tuesday press conference.
“This was not a random shooting, it was believed to be domestic in nature,” a spokesperson with the Edgewater Police Department said. “Our condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victims. As for Mr. Hunter, I’m glad he is no longer with us to harm any more."
Hoffman and Greenfield were believed to be in a new relationship, while Hoffman is the ex-girlfriend of Hunter, authorities said. While authorities say it is possible that jealousy was the motive, it was not immediately clear whether the two men had any other encounters prior to the shooting, cops said.
Hoffman and Greenfield had been attending the Narcotics Anonymous meeting organized by nonprofit organization Bridge the Gap Monday evening, cops said.
Shortly after the meeting began, Hunter entered the building armed and fatally shot Greenfield at close proximity, then took Hoffman hostage, cops said.
About 20 people had been attending the meeting.
Hunter also posted on Facebook Live when he was in the building, authorities said, but did not indicate he would commit an act of violence. “It was just heavy breathing, you know, in a very lunatic-type manner,” cops said.
Edgewater police arrived shortly after receiving calls at approximately 7 p.m., alongside a regional SWAT team and negotiation team, but authorities were not able to communicate with anyone inside the building. Authorities said it was no longer an active shooter scenario when they arrived on the scene.
When authorities entered from the rear of the building, they discovered all three dead. In addition to gunshot wounds, Hoffman and Greenfield also appeared to have suffered lacerations.
No one else was injured in the shootout, and the remaining participants were able to flee for safety after the shooting began. Authorities believe Hoffman was prevented from leaving when the rest of the attendees fled.
Hunter had a history of criminal violence with various weapons charges, authorities said.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the motive for the shooting.
