A retired U.S. Army staff sergeant and former combat medic was fatally shot Tuesday afternoon following a dispute over a parking space outside a Walmart in North Lauderdale, Florida, as investigators continue reviewing whether criminal charges will be filed against the woman who pulled the trigger, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office said the shooting occurred shortly before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday outside the Walmart supercenter in North Lauderdale.
Authorities identified the victim as 62-year-old Bart Diguglielmo, a New Jersey native and retired Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army.
According to investigators, Diguglielmo and an unidentified woman became involved in a verbal dispute over a parking space before the confrontation escalated.
The woman told investigators she fired in self-defense, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Officials have not released her identity while the investigation remains ongoing.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene immediately after the shooting.
“I was walking up and heard a lady screaming,” witness David Anderson told CBS News Miami. “She was screaming, and she was saying a lot of things.”
Video recorded by bystanders and shared on social media captured portions of the confrontation before the shooting.
The footage shows a woman wearing a white shirt stepping out of her vehicle while holding a handgun as she argued with a man believed to be Diguglielmo, who was wearing a gray shirt.
According to a video obtained by WPLG, the two repeatedly pointed at one another while standing near an empty parking space. At one point during the argument, Diguglielmo raised both of his hands into the air.
The video then appears to show Diguglielmo moving around another vehicle while the woman continued pointing the firearm at him. Moments later, a single gunshot was heard, and he fell to the ground.
Emergency responders transported Diguglielmo to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Family members remembered Diguglielmo as a decorated Army veteran who served during Operation Desert Storm.
His sister told CBS News Miami that he had dedicated much of his life to military service before later working as a nurse.
A native of Hammonton, New Jersey, Diguglielmo’s Facebook profile states that he served as a combat nurse, combat medic, and tactical communications expert during his military career.
After leaving the Army, he lived in Lauderhill, Florida, where his sister said he also worked as a retired nurse.
Remembering her brother, she said:
“He was a Christian man and a very good person and would not hurt anyone.”
Investigators have not announced whether surveillance footage from the Walmart parking lot will become part of the public record, but authorities are reviewing all available evidence as they continue examining the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office has not identified the woman involved in the shooting.
Once detectives complete their investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether criminal charges are appropriate.
The fatal shooting remains under investigation.