WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The West Palm Beach Police Department is currently investigating two separate fatal shootings that tragically marked the city’s first homicides of 2024. Both incidents, which occurred within hours of each other and about a mile apart, are being treated as targeted attacks.
The first incident involved 47-year-old James J. Miles, found deceased on Tuesday, Jan. 2. Responding to a call shortly before 9:15 a.m., officers arrived at an apartment building in the 1000 block of Ninth Street near Tamarind Avenue. Miles, who is believed to have been the caretaker of the property, was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds. Friends of Miles, concerned for his well-being, found him dead inside an apartment. Investigators estimate that the shooting happened hours before his body was discovered, though the exact time of death remains unclear.
“We do not believe that this was random,” said West Palm Beach police spokesman Mike Jachles.
In a separate but equally alarming incident, 34-year-old Damien Davis was the victim of what police describe as an ambush and “execution.” Shortly before 12:30 p.m. on the same day, a ShotSpotter notification alerted officers to the scene outside the Lake Mangonia Apartments on the 2100 block of North Australian Avenue. Davis was found in a Mercury Marquis in the parking lot, having been fatally shot in what appeared to be a deliberate attack by multiple shooters.
“This was an execution. He was ambushed. He was in the car when the shooting happened,” Jachles stated emphatically.
At present, it is unclear if there is a direct connection between these two shootings. The proximity of the incidents and their nature have raised concerns within the community and among investigators. “We assume nothing and, until proven otherwise, we cannot discount anything at this point,” Jachles added.
The West Palm Beach Police Department’s investigation into these homicides is ongoing, as they piece together the events that led to these tragic losses. The community remains on alert as the authorities seek answers and justice for the victims and their families.