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Palm Beach County, FL - A workplace shooting in Palm Beach County has left one man dead and another injured, with the alleged gunman facing multiple charges.
Authorities report, 21-year-old Kolby Daniel Edwards, who had been employed at Coastal Metal for less than a month, is accused of fatally shooting coworker Romeish Morgan and injuring Gabriel Suprius on January 5th at a metal fabrication warehouse located on Belvedere Road near Royal Palm Beach.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting occurred just after 11:30 a.m. in the vast warehouse, described as having multiple bays for metal welding and fabrication.
Deputies responded to 911 calls reporting gunfire and arrived to find Edwards being restrained by other employees.
Investigators revealed that the incident began at a welding workstation where Morgan, a welder, and Edwards, his assistant, were working.
Shell casings, projectiles, and a significant amount of blood were discovered at the scene.
Morgan, who had been shot in the head, and Suprius, who suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder, were transported to St. Mary’s Medical Center.
Tragically, Morgan was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, while Suprius was treated and later released.
The warehouse supervisor told detectives that Edwards had a history of tardiness and absenteeism, which had put his job in jeopardy.
However, he noted that there were no apparent tensions between Edwards and Morgan, and everything seemed normal earlier that day.
The situation escalated rapidly when the supervisor, in his upstairs office, heard gunshots and rushed to the scene with his firearm.
He reported seeing Edwards standing over Morgan and attempting to reload his Glock .45 caliber handgun.
Employees subdued Edwards while the supervisor disarmed him and called 911.
Before his arrest, Edwards reportedly apologized to both the supervisor and deputies, exclaiming from the patrol car, “Tell Pops I’m sorry!” and inquiring about the condition of Suprius, whom he referred to as "Pops."
In addition to first-degree murder and aggravated battery charges, Edwards faces penalties for violating a risk protection order from a 2022 case in which he was accused of animal cruelty.
At the time, a judge ordered him to surrender his firearms for one year, a condition that remains under investigation.
Edwards is currently being held at the Palm Beach County jail without bond. Coastal Metal management has declined to comment on the incident.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear as detectives continue their investigation.