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Employee with Palm Beach School District charged with attempted murder

Posted at 6:43 PM, Dec 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-16 00:36:32-05

LAKE WORTH, Fla. -- A bus attendant with the Palm Beach County School District has been charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder with a firearm after a man opened fire in Lake Worth.

Investigators with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office say 36-year-old Shimara Josey was traveling in a Nissan Altima along with 3 other black females and a black male on Saturday, December 8, 2018.

Witnesses tell deputies that they pulled around the Nissan in traffic. When the Nissan pulled up next to them at a traffic light, one of the occupants, a black male, yelled, "ya'll want smoke?"

The victim says she replied, "Yeah, I do" and the black male told the victims to "follow them" and she got behind their vehicle.

The victim told deputies that she thought he was joking and she never had any intention of stopping.

When the suspects in the Nissan pulled over, the victim continued driving to her residence.

Once at home, the victim told detectives that she exited her car and walked inside to use the restroom, while her passenger remained in her car.

While she was in the bathroom, the victim says she heard a loud banging noise and a male voice yelling, which she recognized as the same voice of the man from inside the Nissan.

The victim says she walked outside and saw the black male suspect standing near her car yelling at her. She says he pointed a gun in her direction and said, "I'm going to shoot you."

The victim says she replied back that he wasn't and walked in his direction.

Detectives say the black male began walking away and turned around, pointed a gun in her direction and fired 4 shots, then ran east.

Detectives were able to use traffic cameras and surveillance cameras from a nearby apartment building to identify the Nissan, which is registered to Shimara Josey.

Our news partners at the Palm Beach Post report that Josey is an employee of the Palm Beach County School District as a bus attendant.

Detectives showed photos of both Josey and the black male to the victims. One of the victims positively identified both of the suspects as being involved in this crime.

Shimara Josey was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted first degree murder with a firearm.

There is no word yet on an arrest or charges being filed on the male suspect. The male suspect has not been identified in this story because, as of the writing of this story, he has not been charged with a crime.

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This story has been updated to clarify that the shooting occurred on Saturday, December 8. An incorrect mention of "Wednesday" has been omitted.