The Palm Beach community was rattled by a months-long shooting spree across the county, with a suspect now behind bars after a series of seemingly random attacks on homes and businesses. Sterling Maloney, 29, is facing 14 felony counts following his arrest in connection to 16 separate incidents, according to a press conference held by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office as reported by CBS12. In what law enforcement describes as “pure luck,” no one was injured in the shootings that stretched from February to July.
The arrest came about after an Ocean Ridge police officer spotted Maloney’s vehicle, which had been flagged as belonging to a felony suspect. A Boynton Beach officer was able to quickly initiate a felony stop, leading to the discovery of a Glock 19 9mm handgun used in the shootings, as well as a ledger which listed both past victims and planned targets. Inside Maloney’s car, detectives also found recently purchased ammunition, an additional clue linking him to the crimes. Reflecting on the incident, PBSO Colonel Talal Masri stated, “This arrest potentially saved lives. We don’t know what would’ve happened with the next 10 shootings,” according to CBS12.
Further investigation uncovered that some addresses and initials listed in the ledger appeared to correspond to individuals Maloney had known from high school, raising questions about a potential personal motive. A woman from Delray Beach recounted to WPBF the moments her home was struck by gunfire, evoking the fear and confusion that affected many residents throughout the county. Maloney’s first court appearance on Friday provided an initial glimpse into the breadth of the evidence against him as detailed in court documents…