A late-night argument about chicken eggs took a wild turn outside a Port St. Lucie bar early Tuesday, ending with gunfire and three people running for their lives, according to police.
Authorities say the incident started inside Harpers Pub just before last call on Nov. 4, when 44-year-old Peter Riera got into a debate with a group of three people in their 20s—two men and a woman—over how many eggs a chicken can lay. The group had reportedly been drinking together before stepping outside around 2:48 a.m.
Once in the parking lot, police say Riera smoked marijuana and became paranoid, accusing the others of trying to “con” him. Things escalated fast. Investigators allege Riera pulled out a Glock 30 .45-caliber handgun and fired four shots as the trio sprinted across the lot. No one was hit.
In an unexpected twist, police say Riera called 911 on himself to report the shooting. Responding officers recovered the handgun and four spent shell casings at the scene.
Riera was arrested and hit with multiple charges, including three counts of attempted aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, four counts of discharging a firearm in public, and one count of using a firearm while under the influence. He’s being held at the St. Lucie County Jail with no bond.
The chaos didn’t end there. While officers were handling the scene, two others were taken into custody.
Police say 24-year-old Brandon Pace interfered with the investigation and allegedly kicked two officers, leading to charges of resisting an officer with violence and two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer. He’s also being held without bond.
Another woman, 26-year-old Kayla Damiani, was arrested after running toward officers despite repeated commands to stay back. She was charged with resisting an officer without violence and later released on a $500 bond.
Port St. Lucie police say all three victims knew each other but had just met Riera that night. Authorities cited alcohol and marijuana as contributing factors in the shootout-turned-bizarre bar argument.
