Broward Sheriff's Office investigates fatal shooting involving Fort Lauderdale police officer

Fort Lauderdale police officer Mark Shotwell kills man fighting with woman outside of pub

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward Sheriff's Office said Friday that they had taken over the investigation of a fatal shooting involving a veteran Fort Lauderdale police officer.

The Thursday night shooting left 40-year-old Richard Arruda dead and Fort Lauderdale police officer Mark Shotwell badly injured.

Shotwell was not on duty when he exchanged fire with a man at the parking lot of the Maguires Hill 16 at 535 N. Andrews Ave.

"This is a service that the Broward Sheriff's Office provides any agency that has an incident involving one of their own officers," Fort Lauderdale spokeswoman Deanna Greenlaw said.

Fort Lauderdale Capt. Frank Sousa said the homicide investigation was "a difficult moment" for the police department.

Police interviewed witnesses. Local 10 News Liane Morejon was at the scene of the shooting early Friday morning.

"I heard it, about seven shots -- three from one gun and four from another," said witness Fred Gans, who added that at first he confused the noise with fireworks.

Around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Arruda and his girlfriend, Christine Menatti, pulled into the parking lot of Maguires Hill 16 after getting into a physical confrontation inside a vehicle, deputies said Friday evening.

Shotwell had just left the restaurant to go home when he came upon the altercation between Arruda and Menatti. Menatti, who works at Maguires and recognized Shotwell, asked him for help, alleging Arruda had battered her, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.

Deputies said Arruda got out of the vehicle and shot Shotwell, who managed to reach for his weapon and returned the gunfire, fatally shooting Arruda.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue took the veteran officer to a nearby hospital where he remains in critical condition but is stable. Deputies said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue pronounced Arruda dead at the scene.

"One of the waitresses here was on a domestic dispute with her boyfriend," witness John Kluge said.

More than 40 people remained inside the business while BSO crime scene and homicide detectives collected evidence from the parking lot, deputies said.

Local 10 News John Turchin reported Shotwell was in critical but stable condition at Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale Friday.


About the Authors:

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.