Man arrested after shot fired over Flagler College dorm

Elbert Ortiz-Maldonado was arrested less than 10 minutes after a gunshot was fired over a Flagler College dorm building.

A 27-year-old Miami man was arrested early Sunday morning by St. Augustine police investigating a shot fired over a Flagler College dormitory building on Malaga Street.

Police were called about 1:45 a.m. regarding a shot fired near Carmelo's Marketplace on King Street just off U.S. 1, almost across the street from the dorms. St. Augustine police said the shooter was gone when officers arrived, but the store's surveillance camera recorded a man pulling a firearm from a silver, four-door car and firing a shot in the direction of the dorms. The video showed the man then getting into the car and driving away.

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No injuries were reported from the gunshot.

A car matching the description was stopped on West Pope Road less than 10 minutes later and one of the occupants was wearing clothing similar to the man seen firing the shot. Another officer who has seen the store's surveillance video positively identified Elbert Ortiz-Maldonado as the man suspected of firing the weapon. 

No firearm was recovered at the traffic stop, but Ortiz-Maldonado was arrested and charged with improper exhibit of a firearm, firing a weapon in public and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. He was booked into the St. Johns County jail without incident.

Ortiz-Maldonado is also held on an outstanding warrant out of Putnam County.