2 Teens Jailed After Pompano Gun Sting Ends In Shoot Out
POMPANO BEACH (CBSMiami) – Two teens taken into custody after a deadly police involved shooting in Pompano Beach will remain behind bars.
Elvence Saint Aulien, 19, and Jean Marcel Coulanges, 18, are being held without bond. Both have been charged with first degree murder while engaged in a felony offense.
The Broward Sheriff's Office said the shooting was the result of a sting on Johnny Wright, who wanted to sell undercover agents three firearms for a thousand dollars.
'We had the money, this was similar to a drug transaction except it's firearms," Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti. "We brought the money, they counted the money, at that time the second suspect came in with a firearm, he pointed the rifle at the deputy. It was a rip off, they were just going to grab the money, they had no intention of releasing the firearms to us."
Gunfire erupted and Wright was hit in the stomach, He was taken to North Broward Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators said Saint Aulien and Coulanges, who were with Wright, took off -- one on foot and one in a car. Both were captured a short time later.
Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti said his deputy did the right thing by firing his weapon.
"When a gun is being pointed at you, it's survival at that point," Lamberti said. "That's the training that they get."
People in the neighborhood were most upset that there were kids around playing when the gunfire erupted. One youngster was riding his bike and several others were playing basketball.
"It didn't have to go down like the O.K. Corral out here with bullets flying everywhere," said nearby resident Alfred Williams.
Lamberti said Wright was a suspect in several home invasion robberies. According to BSO, Wright had a criminal history including five arrests in the past three years on charges including trespassing, disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana, possession of ecstasy, and resisting arrest.
