An off-duty prison guard shot a woman multiple times and led law enforcement officers on a cross-counties search Wednesday, that ended, after a low-speed pursuit, in his arrest.
The woman, of Indian River County, was last known to be in stable condition after she was flown to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, said Sheriff Eric Flowers.
Wilner Cyprien, 31, who worked with the Florida Department of Correction’s Martin Correctional Institution in Indiantown was arrested around 1:30 p.m. by St. Lucie County deputies at a park off Delaware Avenue in Fort Pierce.
He was charged with attempted first-degree premeditated murder, shooting into a vehicle and firing a deadly weapon without the intent to kill, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office jail records.
“So far, we believe, at this this time, that this was a love triangle situation,” said Flowers. “He believed that his girlfriend was cheating on him and he believed that shooting this person would exact revenge…”
Cyprien traveled into Indian River County and waited for the woman to arrive at her Walker Woods apartment west of 66th Avenue off 26th Street, Flowers said in a news conference Wednesday evening.
“He approached the vehicle – she recognized that the situation was about to get bad – she tried to drive away and he fired at her through the vehicle – shot her as she was fleeing from the scene,” he said.
The Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital was placed on a roughly one-hour security lockdown, because, as Flowers said, “a person related to this case was at the hospital (and) believed (Cyprien) may be coming there.”
“Fortunately, (Cyprien) did flee out of the area,” Flowers said.
There was no information about the person Flowers said was related to the case.
Detectives gathered information on the vehicle from the roadside automated license plate readers and alerted the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies in that county located and followed the newer model red Dodge Durango while Cyprien, Flowers said, drove at low speed.
“He had the weapon that was used to his head,” Flowers said.
Deputies used stun guns to incapacitate Cyprien, who Flowers said was taken to a hospital then released to deputies.
At the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office he was interviewed by detectives, who said, “he ultimately confessed to these crimes.”
Flowers said details about the number of times the woman was shot or the weapon used were unavailable Wednesday.
He said they were working with state prosecutors to fully determine what charges Cypriano will face in court, but, so far, Flowers said his charges will likely consist of, at least, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and fleeing and eluding law enforcement officers.