WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — West Palm Beach police arrested a suspect in connection to a double shooting that happened in April and left two men dead.
The shooting happened on April 27 at the Lake Mangonia Apartments on North Australian Avenue in West Palm Beach.
Officers were alerted by the city's gunfire detection system, ShotSpotter. Officers responded to the scene and found three men on the ground in the parking lot. Two of the victims, Alan Bernard Newman, 41, and Bernard Jones, 26, sustained life-threatening injuries and died at the scene.
The third victim, identified as Rashad Brown, was transported to St. Mary’s hospital and taken into surgery.
According to witnesses, at least three armed suspects got out of a black vehicle and shot the three men.
An officer responding to the scene saw a black Jetta with Florida Tag KPT-P04 speeding on North Australian Avenue near 45th Street. Police followed the vehicle to the 1200 block of West 10th St. in Riviera Beach where the suspects bailed out of the vehicle.
The officer pursued a suspect on foot. During the pursuit the suspect discarded what appeared to be clothing. A K-9 and his partner responded to the scene and found a pillowcase containing a cellphone, a black stocking style mask, a .40 caliber Glock 23 handgun, and sneakers. Officers also found a driver's license under the cell phone case, belonging to the suspect, 30-year-old Varnard Elfonno Albury.
According to a news release, during a foot pursuit Albury attempted to enter a home in Riviera Beach and left blood evidence on the front door.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the Jetta and recovered firearms, an orange ski mask, and a plastic cardboard Ninja mask packaging.
The news release says video surveillance obtained from the scene recorded the shooting.
Albury was arrested on two first-degree murder charges in the April 27 shooting deaths of Alan Bernard Newman and Bernard Jones. He also faces an attempted murder charge in the shooting of Rashad Brown and charges of illegally possessing guns and fleeing from police.
He is expected to appear before a judge Thursday morning for a bond hearing.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the West Palm Beach Police Department at 561-822-1900. Callers can remain anonymous.
