BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – BSO detectives announced the arrest of a man Thursday who they said threatened a 7-Eleven store employee with a gun during an attempted robbery last month.
Detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit said they arrested Dwayne Fye, 59, of Fort Lauderdale, on charges related to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Authorities said Fye was arrested Wednesday, just one day after investigators released surveillance video of the attempted armed robbery.
According to a Broward Sheriff’s Office report, it happened just before 1 a.m. Sept. 3 at Sunrise Boulevard and Northwest 27th Avenue, in the Roosevelt Gardens area of unincorporated central Broward County.
The employee told investigators that an unknown man around 6 feet tall with a slim build and a bald head had attempted to exit the store without paying for a beer, according to BSO Public Information Officer Gerdy St. Louis.
Surveillance video shows the culprit wearing a green baseball hat, green shirt and black shorts when entering the store. The man was then seen walking directly toward the back of the store where the beverages are located and removing a beer from the refrigerator aisle, according to authorities.
After walking back to the front of the store, the man and the employee had a verbal exchange, St Louis said.
Surveillance video shows the man placing the beer can on the counter and then poking the victim several times in the chest before leaving the store.
Investigators said the verbal dispute continued outside, which led to the man threatening the victim with a knife before leaving the premises.
According to the victim, approximately 5 to 10 minutes later, the man returned to the business, where another verbal altercation ensued, and the man displayed a gun, detectives said.
Deputies said additional surveillance video captured the man entering the business a second time wearing a black baseball cap, black shirt and shorts.
After further investigation, detectives identified Fye as the armed suspect in the video.
On Wednesday, detectives said Fye was located and taken into custody.
He was transported to BSO Main Jail and faces one count of aggravated assault without an attempt to kill with deadly weapon, one count of aggravated assault without an attempt to kill with a firearm and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to jail records.