FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Detectives identified a 24-year-old man on Thursday as the suspect in the case of a 34-year-old man whose birthday celebration ended with him in a coma in Broward County.
The U.S. Marshals found Justin Brown in Tuscaloosa and helped detectives to arrest him on Wednesday night for injuring Andrew Palacios, according to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.
Brown was allegedly working as a bouncer outside of the Capone’s Nightclub, at 310 SW 2 St., in downtown Fort Lauderdale when he allegedly pushed Palacios, according to the victim’s relatives.
“When he fell the pressure was so hard on the back of his head that his brain shifted to the front,” Daisy Palacios, the victim’s sister, recently told Local 10 News adding that he was in a medically-induced coma.
Detectives responded to the club at about 2:30 a.m., on July 3, to investigate a battery, police said. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue personnel had already rushed Palacios, who was unconscious after the fall, to the Broward Health Medical Center.
After learning about the arrest, Local 10 News spoke with the victim’s brother, Alexander Palacios, who said he was in “complete shock” after learning about the incident.
“When he had fallen to the floor his head hit the concrete so hard that it had his brain rotate and put him in an instant coma. He had internal bleeding, and he hasn’t woken up since then,” he said.
As Brown awaits extradition to Broward County on charges of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, and permanent disability, or disfigurement, it’s the victim’s family left wondering why he didn’t do more.
“Why did you have to run?” asked Alexander Palacious. “Why couldn’t you help (and) why didn’t you do the right thing?”
Local 10 News did request the surveillance video from the nightclub, however, Fort Lauderdale police said they are unable to release because of their ongoing investigation.
Local 10 News also requested to speak to the management of Capone’s nightclub but was asked to leave by employees.
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