Florida

Palm Beach County Fire Captain Shot While Discussing Purchase of Guns

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue

A Florida man is charged with manslaughter in the death of a friend who was shot as he showed him a firearm he was planning to give him, police said.

The shooting happened around Monday night in Jay Rind's Palm Beach Gardens home, according to a police report. Rind, 63, called 911 and told dispatchers to hurry because he'd just shot his friend, 48-year-old Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue Capt. James Gilliard.

Rind is charged with second-degree murder and was booked into jail on Wednesday night. His bond was set at $20,000 on Thursday, and Circuit Judge Laura Johnson ordered him to surrender his “travel documents,” such as his passport.

According to a police report, Rind told investigators he’d been showing Gilliard the handgun, which he planned to give the firefighter. It went off, striking Gilliard in the torso.

Rind and Gilliard had dinner at a restaurant on Monday night and then returned to Rind's home to look at the guns, the report said.

The arrest reports said Rind told Gilliard he was offering him “a deal of his lifetime” because he was moving to Mexico and wanted to give him his two guns.

Investigators said Rind was about 4 feet away from Gilliard and holding one of the guns when it fired.

Police found a Taurus 87 .38-caliber revolver, loaded with three rounds, one live and one fired on top of a desk, the report said. Rind told investigators he'd put it there after the shooting.

A second gun was located inside a desk drawer and a third was in a bedroom, investigators said.

Rind told police there had been no argument between the two. Gilliard's wife confirmed to police that her husband met Rind to discuss the purchase of guns.

The report didn't list a lawyer for Rind.

“Our hearts are broken,” Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said in a statement. “Our fire rescue family is working together to support his family at this difficult time.”

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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