Crime
Husband and Wife Identified After Fatally Shot on Porch in Brindaban Forest subdivision of Okeechobee
Investigators believe the killings were targeted and directly connected to the suspect.
OKEECHOBEE, FL — A tragic act of violence unfolded Sunday afternoon in the Brindaban Forest subdivision of Okeechobee, where a man dressed in black fatally shot two of his neighbors before being killed during a shootout with responding law enforcement officers.
The victims have been identified as Purvin Evans and his wife, Debbie Evans, both longtime residents of Fort Pierce who were spending the weekend at their second home in Okeechobee.
According to family members, the couple was sitting peacefully on their front porch when they were senselessly gunned down.
“This is my second cousin, Purvin Evans,” a relative wrote in a tribute shared on social media. “He and his wife Debbie were gunned down in cold blood yesterday afternoon, sitting on their porch, just minding their own business. Fort Pierce lost two beautiful souls.”
Purvin Evans was well known in the Fort Pierce community for his decades of work in stucco construction. He and his wife had regularly visited their weekend home in Okeechobee, where they found peace away from the city.
According to Chief Deputy Michael Hazellief of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), deputies responded to a report of gunfire in the Brindaban Forest community around 1:35 p.m. on July 21.
When officers arrived on scene, they were immediately confronted by a male suspect dressed in all black and armed with a long-barreled firearm.
A shootout ensued between the suspect and deputies.
The suspect was struck by return fire and later died at a nearby hospital.
His identity has not yet been publicly released.
Deputies discovered the two victims — believed to be neighbors of the gunman — deceased on the property, both suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe the killings were targeted and directly connected to the suspect.
Out of an abundance of caution, authorities called in the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, as there was concern that the suspect may have left explosive devices at the scene. Additional support was provided by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
As per protocol, the five OCSO deputies involved in the exchange of gunfire have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the FDLE’s investigation.
The Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the homicide investigation concerning the deaths of Purvin and Debbie Evans.
Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive for the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
MT. JULIET, Tenn. — Authorities have identified two victims killed during an active shooter incident at Cedar Creek Marina in Mt. Juliet late Friday night.
The suspect, identified as Gary Haley, a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, is deceased following an officer-involved shooting, officials confirmed.
Mount Juliet Police officers were dispatched at approximately 9:30 p.m. Friday to the Cedar Creek Marina, located in the 9000 block of Saundersville Road, after receiving reports of a man threatening another individual on the docks.
Due to the active shooter report, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area as a precaution.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound.
The victim was later identified as Robby Brogdon, who was transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite life-saving efforts, Brogdon later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators determined that the suspected shooter had retreated to a boat within the marina and had barricaded himself inside.
The standoff continued for several hours as officers secured the scene and attempted to resolve the situation safely.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. Saturday, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reported that the suspect engaged responding officers and fired shots at them under circumstances that remain under investigation. Officers returned fire.
The suspect, Gary Haley, was later found deceased aboard the vessel.
During the course of the response, officers also discovered a second adult male victim, Nathan Jones, who had been shot by the suspect.
Jones was pronounced dead at the scene.
No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has assumed responsibility for the investigation, which includes a homicide, an attempted homicide, and an officer-involved shooting.
TBI agents are actively conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and working to establish a comprehensive timeline of events.
Upon completion of the investigation, findings will be submitted to 15th Judicial District Attorney General Jason Lawson for review.
Authorities stated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.