DANIA BEACH, Fla. — What began as a routine Saturday evening trip to a neighborhood 7-Eleven spiraled into a deadly chain of violence that left one man dead and another hospitalized, after an attempted armed robbery ended with gunfire in the parking lot.
According to investigators, the incident unfolded shortly after nightfall at the convenience store, when 19-year-old Justin Kessel entered the 7-Eleven and robbed a store clerk at gunpoint. Witnesses said Kessel fled the building carrying the store’s money tray, but as he sprinted across the parking lot, the cash scattered onto the pavement, coins and bills strewn near the gas pumps.
What Kessel did not anticipate was that the clerk he had just robbed had armed himself. The man, who has not been publicly identified, confronted Kessel outside the store. Witnesses recounted the tense moments as the teenager ran directly toward the armed clerk. Within seconds, the clerk fired several shots, striking Kessel, who collapsed to the ground near the scattered cash register drawer.
As stunned bystanders processed the chaos, the situation escalated further. 40-year-old Melvin Presley, who was reportedly attempting to intervene, drove his Honda CR-V toward the clerk in what authorities described as a desperate attempt to shield Kessel. Investigators said Presley accelerated in the direction of the armed man, forcing him to dodge the oncoming vehicle. The clerk, fearing for his life, fired again, striking Presley through the driver’s window.
Presley sped away from the scene, but his escape was short-lived. Officers responding to multiple 911 calls located him a short distance away, where he had succumbed to his injuries. Meanwhile, Kessel remained on the pavement outside the store, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency crews transported him to a nearby hospital, where he continues to receive treatment. His current condition has not been disclosed.
Authorities with the Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the store clerk is cooperating fully with detectives. At this time, investigators are working to determine whether the shootings will be classified as self-defense under Florida law. No charges have been filed against the clerk.
The bizarre sequence of events left witnesses shaken. “It all happened so fast — first the robbery, then the gunshots, then a car speeding straight toward the man with the gun,” said one customer who had been fueling his car at the station. “It felt like something out of a movie, but it was real. People were screaming and running.”
Community members in Dania Beach expressed grief over the loss of Presley, describing him as a neighbor and father who, despite the tragic circumstances, was known for his loyalty to friends and family. At the same time, the incident has reignited conversations around the dangers of escalating violence during robberies and the role of armed civilians in responding to crime.
Kessel, meanwhile, faces serious charges related to the armed robbery
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