DANIA BEACH, Fla. – A man has been charged with attempted murder and arson after shooting a woman in the neck with a flare gun, causing a fire inside their apartment, said the Broward Sheriff's Office.
It happened at 237 SW 11th Street in Dania Beach about 4:14 p.m. Wednesday.
BSO said Stephen Thunberg and his girlfriend were having an argument when he shot her.
"We had just got home and I heard a scream," said neighbor Dina Dawson.
Dawson told Local 10's Sasha Andrade she saw the girlfriend running half-naked as Thunberg ran behind her with something in his hand.
"And I looked and I saw that she was bleeding profusely and I saw them run over to the neighbors and as soon as I saw that, I got on the phone and called 911," said Dawson.
The victim ran across the street to George Kostalas' house.
"She said, ‘I need help, I need help,'" said Kostalas. "I go to help but I see the guy with the gun."
The concerned neighbor said that's when the victim crouched down in this corner and Thunberg pointed the flare gun at her head.
"… I said, ‘Stephen, please (don't) hit the woman, you know," said Kostalas.
Police arrived moments later. As officers arrested Stephen Thunberg, one emergency turned into another.
"Everybody looks over and sees there's smoke coming out of the apartment," said Dawson.
Investigators said they believe the flare shot sparked a fire inside the suspect's home, destroying at least one bedroom.
The woman was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Thunberg remained in police custody Wednesday night.