HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A South Florida man is facing a possible life sentence after he was found guilty of shooting two workers a couple of years ago at a tow yard in Homestead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced on Friday.
Thomas Daniels was convicted of carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and possessing ammunition by a convicted felon.
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He will be sentenced on June 13.
According to prosecutors, Daniels shot two men on Feb. 14, 2020, at MIA Towing, off Southwest Third Avenue, after trying to break into one of their cars that was parked just outside the yard.
Police said the employees were moving vehicles around the tow yard when one of them noticed a man breaking into the car, at which time they approached Daniels.
Police said Daniels was unable to get into the vehicle, so he pointed a gun at the victims and demanded that they hand over their jewelry and other valuables.
According to prosecutors, one victim turned around and started to remove his necklace while his back was facing Daniels, but Daniels got impatient and shot the victim in the neck and yanked the necklace from the victim’s collapsed body.
Prosecutors said the other victim tried to run away, but Daniels chased him down and shot him multiple times before robbing him of his keys.
Daniels then took off in the victim’s vehicle, which was the initial car he tried to break into.
Both victims were initially hospitalized in critical condition, but they both miraculously survived the shooting.