Security company services canceled ahead of MLK event where shooting occurred

FORT PIERCE, Florida. The Martin Luther King Day event was supposed to have private security under county permits, but organizers canceled the event without warning deputies, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

“The night before the event, I get a message that says, “You know what, we won’t need your services. Maybe we can use you for another event?” I said, “Excuse me?” Edmundo Moreno of Elite Tactical Solutions said.

Moreno told WPTV that they were hired by Be Xquisit as private security for the event.

“How are you going to cancel security the night before the event? You have no way to find a replacement,” Moreno said.

Moreno says his security team was supposed to provide the event with four officers and two patrol cars.

“They canceled their close protection the night before the event and no one provided this information to our agency,” St. Lucie County Deputy Chief Brian Hester said. “We all assumed that private armed security was at work at this event.”

Hester says two deputies were assigned to help with the highway patrol.

“It could have been prevented, absolutely prevented, and even if it had happened, if there were enough people there, you could have saved a few lives and caught the shooter,” Moreno said.

The event was organized thanks to the cooperation of local organizations, including James Mond with the group “Return to the Children”.

“It’s just a loss in everything and it’s not who we are as a community, it’s not something that needs to happen,” Mond said.

He says that each group was given different tasks. He was to hire two Saint Lucie deputies who were present at the event.

“We feel that the deputies reacted the way they should have. I mean, they ran towards the fire and immediately reacted,” Mond said.

He doesn’t know why Be Xquisit canceled the event’s private security, but he hopes the community can find a solution and become stronger.

“You do our job, and everyone else had to do their job, and if they don’t do their job, they should be in charge of what they need to do,” Mond said.

WPTV has contacted Be Xquisit and left a message, but has yet to receive a response.