NewsNational

Actions

Florida man arrested after recording shooting victim on Facebook live, delaying before calling 911

Posted at 10:47 PM, Jun 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-14 10:07:56-04

AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Deputies arrested a Polk County man after he published a Facebook Live, recording a victim suffering from a gunshot wound. 

Investigators say David Munroe III shot Jimbob Bearden during a domestic altercation last week. 

Anthony Martin, 27, recorded a 43-minute Facebook Live video, showing Bearden clutching his wound and screaming for help. 

"Someone's on the ground, they've been shot and suffering, you want people to help those folks," said Scott Wilder with the Polk County Sheriff's Office. "People can bleed out in minutes."

Polk deputies arrested Martin three days after the shooting, charging him with refusing a crime victim medical treatment, lying to law enforcement, and tampering with physical evidence. 

Martin has since deleted the video from his Facebook page. 

"He was covering up vital information we needed to know," said Wilder. 

After reviewing the video, which was shared more than 1,000 times, detectives say Martin delayed calling 9-1-1, giving Munroe enough time to get away before police and medical responders arrived. 

Martin tells ABC Action News, he saw Munroe rush outside after the crime occurred, but did not know he was the shooting suspect. 

"He told me he didn't know him and he didn't know what was going on, so I don't know," said Martin. "The only thing I told him was, 'I've called the ambulance and if you're here when they get here, this man is saying that you did something to him, you're going to jail.'"

According to investigators, Martin admits in the Facebook Live that he waited until Munroe left the scene before calling for medical help. 

Martin says he did everything in his power to get the victim help but is now apologizing for publicizing Bearden during a traumatic incident. 

"I would just like to apologize and say that I'm sorry for standing there," said Martin. "I sincerely apologize that you all had to view him in agony and pain, laying there on the ground."

Bearden is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg and is expected to survive. 

The accused shooter, Munroe, was arrested at his work Monday for attempted second-degree murder with a firearm.