COOPER CITY, Fla. – A Margate firefighter was arrested last week for his role in a Super Bowl Sunday shooting in Cooper City.
The off-duty firefighter, identified as Margate Fire Rescue Lt. Lorne Brown, 39, is the alleged gunman in the shooting, which took place during a block party for Super Bowl LIV on Feb. 2.
He was ordered held without bond after appearing before a judge on Friday.
A newly obtained arrest warrant is revealing additional details about the shooting.
Neighbors in the area of Southwest 91st Terrace and Southwest 52nd Court in Cooper City had blocked off a roadway while gathering to watch the big game.
According to the 22-year-old victim, Simeon Brown, who is not related to the gunman, some of the partygoers became angry when he drove around a road block.
The warrant states Lorne Brown and an off-duty Miami police officer, both of whom were armed, approached Simeon Brown’s vehicle with their guns drawn.
The Miami police officer was identified as Marlon Arana, who told deputies he believed the vehicle was going to hit people in the road and said while identifying himself as a police officer, he never took out his badge, according to the warrant.
Simeon Brown, fearing for his life, attempted to drive away when Lorne Brown fired two shots into the driver side window, according to the warrant.
There were a total of four people in the car, including Simeon Brown’s brother, his girlfriend and another friend, who is a Miami-Dade school police officer.
According to the arrest warrant, the block party was illegally blocking the roadway and impeding traffic, as the City of Cooper City did not authorize it.
“Instead of clearing the roadway so no one would potentially get hurt, Lorne Brown armed himself and the partygoers blocked the roadway even further using two (2) trucks,” the warrant states.
After the shooting, Lorne Brown told responding deputies he was concerned for the children and party goers, that they could be hit by passing cars.
While the concern was considered valid, the warrant states “the partygoers had no right to address that concern by stopping incoming vehicles at gunpoint.”
“This is the same dude that just shot me, and I said, ‘Sir, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe.’ He said, ‘I don’t care. We should’ve killed you,’” Simeon Brown told Local 10 News.
Lorne Brown is facing multiple charges, including first-degree attempted murder and aggravated assault with a firearm.
Margate Fire Rescue officials said the lieutenant has been with the department since Aug. 16, 2004. He has since been suspended with pay.