A suspected car burglar, who was shot and killed by an apartment security guard after pointing a gun at the guard in the predawn Tuesday morning, was found to have been shot in the back, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office reported Wednesday.
Despite the apparent conflict with the security guard's story - that the robber had turned from running and pointed a gun at him when the shots were fired - the sheriff's office is not recommending charges against the security guard, Pablo Feliciano Jr., 33.
Sheriff's office spokesman Dave Bristow said the gunshot wounds could be consistent with the guard's story.
"It's totally possible," Bristow said of the set of events at 2 a.m. Tuesday outside the Manatee Woods apartments, which are located in the 3400 block of Fifth Street East.
Tuesday afternoon, the sheriff's office said it had identified the 21-year-old victim, but the name had not been released pending the notification of family members.
The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the apartments, and tracking police dogs found the seriously wounded suspect inside a duplex at 3322 Fifth St. E.
According to Feliciano's story, as related by sheriff's investigators, a car alarm alerted Feliciano to the apparent burglary. Then Feliciano saw a man breaking into a vehicle. Feliciano said the man ran away as he approached.
According to the initial report on the shooting by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Feliciano said he chased the man and that the man turned and pointed a gun at him. The gun being carried by the victim was found to be a pellet gun.
