WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A suspect in a deadly shooting earlier this month in Santa Rosa Beach has been charged with manslaughter, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
Niceville.com Community Partner
Deputies were reportedly at a home on East Pinehurst Drive on the morning of October 1 for a civil service call. After leaving the residence, deputies heard gunfire coming from inside the house, the WCSO said.
Investigators said a verbal dispute between the victim and the suspect, identified as 27-year-old Mario Anthony Streete, is said to have escalated into a physical altercation over an ongoing issue involving Mr Streete moving out of the home.
Witnesses told investigators that during the fight in the living room, the victim’s husband discharged a firearm in an attempt to separate the two. After the initial shots, the victim reportedly pushed Mr Streete into a bedroom and shut the door, ending the immediate confrontation.
However, once separated, Mr Streete allegedly retrieved a firearm from the bedroom, loaded it, and fired nine rounds toward the victim and her husband as they tried to flee. The WCSO said Mr Streete was no longer in close proximity to either person when he opened fire.
The victim was struck and killed during the exchange. Streete sustained a gunshot wound to the leg.
Niceville.com Community Partner
According to the WCSO, multiple witness statements — including Mr Streete’s own — confirmed that after the fight had ended and there was no longer a threat to him, he fired the weapon that killed the victim.
Streete was served the warrant while still incarcerated at the Walton County Jail and was given no bond at his first appearance on Friday, October 31. The investigation remains ongoing.
