By The newspaper
Dec 28, 2023, 1:44 PM EST
An Army veteran faces attempted murder charges after shooting his girlfriend in the neck after she refused to have sex with him.
Shaun Dougherty, 60, faces two charges for the shooting reported the night of Dec. 21 in Palm City.
Apart from the girlfriend, her daughter – an adult – was also injured in the attack.
The WPTV report indicates that the incident occurred at the Clubhouse Court Condominiums off Martin Downs Boulevard.
The former military man was highly intoxicated when he arrived at the family home and began arguing with the woman.
In the middle of the confrontation, Dougherty demanded that his partner have sexual relations with him, to which she refused.
A neighbor, identified as William Wagner, said he heard “four loud bangs,” which he initially thought were fireworks. When the man looked out the window, he realized there were people asking for help.
“Then I started hearing people screaming in agony,” Wagner described. “Later, I heard them shout, ‘call the police,’” the witness added.
Another neighbor, identified as Les Frost, helped the attacker’s girlfriend seconds after the shooting.
“We heard the knocking on the door,” Frost said. “I opened the door and the woman was there. “She was all covered in blood, and she said she had been shot,” he detailed.
Frost and his wife proceeded to help the 65-year-old victim. “From there, I called 911,” he continued. “I was more concerned about bringing the police here,” he added.
Also speaking to the aforementioned television station, the woman’s daughter said that she was shot in the arm, while her mother was wounded in the chest, neck and arm.
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported that both are expected to recover.
Dougherty is being held without bail.