Neighbors in the area of Malone Avenue in Port Charlotte are reflecting on the chaos of Monday afternoon after a law enforcement shooting resulted in the death of a suspect and another man.
"I saw a police car coming real fast, and I thought, uh-oh," said Chris Bordenkircher.
Gulf Coast News confirmed that the suspected gunman, Matthew Cross, has a criminal history. In one of his recent cases, he was charged with burglary and grand theft of a firearm in 2023. In this case, he was deemed "incompetent to proceed," and court documents show he suffers from a traumatic brain injury and mental health symptoms.
Deputies and officers shot and killed Cross on Monday. The Charlotte County sheriff said Cross pointed a gun at law enforcement before they opened fire. The sheriff also said Cross killed a man on Malone Ave. on Monday.
Rich Drop, a resident of Port Charlotte, described the scene. "I came out, and policemen were here with rifles drawn, and they told me to get back into the house."
Crime scene tape was taken down on Malone Ave. around 6:30 p.m. While the crime scene might be gone, two bullet holes remain visible in the garage door from the violent Monday afternoon.
"Somebody said there were two shots at his garage, which they have tape over them. Then, of course, Monday morning, he was shot, whether that’s all tied together or not, I really don’t know," Drop said.
"Keep your ears open and watch your house, and make sure if there is anything there that's suspicious, let them know. Just pray," Bordenkircher said.
The sheriff's office has not confirmed who the victim is on Malone Ave. Neighbors tell Gulf Coast News Charlie Anderson owned the house where the shooting happened. Authorities are also looking into who picked up Cross and drove him six miles down the road by Hillsborough Boulevard, where he was eventually killed.
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