An unattended pistol lay in its owner’s unlocked car, resting in a deceptive haven after an evening of target practice at a local gun range in Tallahassee. In a matter of hours, the firearms were effortlessly stolen.
The exposed Dodge Challenger served as the catalyst, transforming one of the guns from a means of protection to a weapon of violence.
Nearly a year later, the same 40-caliber Glock handgun, now unofficially owned, made a 480-mile journey to the streets of Miami, with a new, sinister purpose.
Concealed in the waistband of an alleged murderer-to-be, the pistol remained hidden from the passing spring break crowds.
Dontavious Polk, the 25-year-old man who purportedly wielded the pilfered firearm, fired it eleven times, executing a man “execution style” in March, as per court records.
This unprovoked shooting on a South Beach sidewalk led to citywide curfews and marked the end of spring break in Miami as it was once known.
Leaders and law enforcement officials in Tallahassee are urging citizens to take responsibility by securing their cars and ensuring their firearms are not left unattended – a simple press of a lock button could mean the difference in one person’s life.
“If you are careless and leave your gun consistently in your vehicle unsecured, it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” Tallahassee Police Deputy Chief Maurice Holmes stated. “I can’t say it enough how important it is.”
