Latest News USA: Clearwater Man Shot To Death Over Parking Spot Dispute
A Clearwater man identified as Deshon Powers, 26, is facing first-degree murder charges after he shot one Derek Omasta, 31, to death over a parking spot dispute. “It’s just a parking spot. It’s not that serious,” said Mersades Katz, witness to the shooting and the suspect’s girlfriend while talking to FOX 13.
“I’ve never known him to do you know things like that unless he feels him or his family or somebody that he’s close to is in danger,” she said.
According to witnesses, Omasta became aggressive when he couldn’t park in a designated spot between their Airbnb rentals in the 1100 block of Grove Street.
“They think they’re entitled to that parking spot, but those are spots for the whole Airbnb,” Powers’ roommate, Travis McNeil, explained.
During the argument, Powers went into his apartment to get his gun, according to the police. First responders arrived and took him to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead a short time later. Investigators say that the argument ended when Powers shot Omasta. However, the suspect’s friends say there’s more to the story.
“Deshon thought he had a knife because [Omasta] was reaching around in his pocket for something,” Katz said.
The police haven’t yet released any information on what items were recovered from the scene. Though they disagree with police on who’s to blame, Powers’ girlfriend agreed that the incident should have ended differently.
“It’s plenty of parking on the road, like you didn’t have to do that,” Katz said. “The car was parked right there to the end of the parking lot, you could have parked in the street like every normal person would have done. It’s ridiculous.”
Powers could be sentenced to death or life in prison for his first-degree murder charge.
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