An Instacart delivery driver and his girlfriend were shot at while trying to deliver groceries in South Florida. According to police reports, Waldes Thomas Jr., 19, and his girlfriend, Diamond Darville, 18, pulled into the wrong driveway while trying to find a customer’s address.
Thomas told authorities he was on the phone with the Instacart customer while when he mistakenly pulled into 43-year-old Antonio Caccavale’s property. According to the police report, Caccavale approached Thomas’ vehicle and the two exchanged words before he shot at the car. The groceries were intended for Caccavale’s neighbor, who told police that he had watched Thomas pull into the neighbor’s driveway and “drive erratically in an attempt” to get out.
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Caccavale told police that his son approached the car first and called for help at which time he ran toward the car, saying he feared for the safety of himself and his son, according to the police report. When he approached Thomas’ vehicle, Caccavele said he began driving “erratically” and allegedly ran over his foot when he shot several rounds at the vehicle. When police arrived at the scene, they found Thomas and Darville parked nearby with a flat tire and two bullet holes in the car’s bumper.
Caccavale’s neighbor told police the delivery was intended for his house and his wife was on the phone with Thomas when he saw him pull onto Caccavale’s driveway and heard three gunshots before the vehicle exited the property, the police report says.
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The Davie Police Department declined to comment on the investigation but according to the report, the investigation has been closed due to no evidence proving “a criminal act was committed by either party.” The report continues, “Each party appears justified in their actions based on the circumstances they perceived.”
When asked how Instacart is supporting Thomas, the company said in an emailed statement to Gizmodo, “The safety of the entire Instacart community is incredibly important to us, and we take immediate action when we receive reports of violence or threats of violence made against any member of the Instacart community. We have reached out to the shopper and will cooperate with law enforcement on any ongoing investigation.”
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This incident comes as a wave of shootings across the U.S. has resulted in one death and several injuries for people who made seemingly typical mistakes. Kaylin Gillis, 20, was killed last week when she and three friends drove into the wrong driveway in Upstate New York last week when 65-year-old Kevin Monahan exited his home and opened fire. He has been charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty.
Similarly, Ralph Yarl, 16, was picking up his younger siblings in Kansas City, Missouri when he accidentally went to the wrong address and was shot in the head and the arm by the homeowner. The homeowner has pleaded not guilty to charges of one count of felony assault in the first degree and one felony count of armed criminal action.
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In another incident, two Texas cheerleaders were shot in the same week, after mistakenly getting into the wrong car in a parking lot. One of the cheerleaders was airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition, and the shooter, Pedro Tello Rodriguez, 25, is charged with deadly conduct and third-degree felony. While yet another shooting in North Carolina injured a father and his six-year-old daughter after their basketball rolled into his yard. Robert Singletary, 24, turned himself into authorities on Thursday after a two-day manhunt.
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