Shooting inside Miami Beach hotel allegedly over coronavirus safety

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A Miami man has been arrested for firing shots inside a Miami Beach hotel lobby, allegedly upset over a lack of social distancing.

According to an arrest report, Douglas Marks confronted a woman and her son inside the lobby of the Crystal Beach Suites at 6985 Collins Avenue Monday evening.

Veronica Pena and her son, both from New Mexico, said they were in the lobby area when they saw Marks.

“You aren’t social distancing,” Marks said, according to the affidavit.

He then reportedly told them they needed to leave, before retrieving a black firearm and firing several shots.

One witness recorded the scene after police showed up and placed Marks under arrest.

No one was injured.

A witness, who declined to be identified, said he tried to shield the tourists with his body.”He tried to shoot the girl and the kid,” the witness said.

Marks allegedly confessed to the shooting, but told detectives he was being followed and asked the front desk to call 911, “subsequently firing four warning shots,” police said.

Marks faces several charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public.

As of Tuesday night, Marks remained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.


About the Author

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.

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