Police were enforcing social distancing rules at Florida beach — then they found a murder suspect
A ban on sunbathing at newly-reopened Florida beaches ended up leading to the arrest of a murder suspect on Sunday.
Weeks after closing beaches due to coronavirus concerns, Duval County, Fla., announced on Friday that members of the public would be allowed to return on a limited basis. Under the new regulations, people are only allowed on the beach while participating in activities like walking, running and fishing, meaning that lounging around on chairs and beach towels is prohibited.
On Sunday, police in Jacksonville Beach, Fla., were patrolling the city’s main beach to ensure that people were following the rules and maintaining proper social distancing. They noticed Mario Matthew Gatti, 30, loitering near the dunes, according to the Florida Times-Union. Though the fugitive allegedly tried to give police a fake name, the officers discovered that he had an active warrant in Pennsylvania, where he faces charges of criminal homicide, burglary, reckless endangerment and terroristic threats.
Gatti is accused of killing 33-year-old Michael Coover, Jr. in January, according to KDKA. Police say that Coover was cooking dinner in an Arnold, Penn., apartment when Gatti entered and shot him multiple times. He is being held in the Duval County Jail.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/04/20/coronavirus-latest-news/#link-HQ7YBQE4UBDADNNRD7TAVAOT3Y
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