AN IRISH AMERICAN MAN was shot and killed during an act of road rage in Florida last week.
Keith Byrne, 41, a retired member of the US Marine Corps, allegedly died while trying to apologise to another driver after cutting him off.
Police report that Byrne was driving on Interstate 495 in Davie, Florida on June 7 when he pulled over at a set of traffic lights to apologise for cutting off another car.
Andre Sinclair, a passenger in the other car, stepped out, approached Bryne who was sitting in his truck, and shot him in the chest.
Byrne managed to returned fire on Sinclair - shooting him twice.
The Irish American died at the scene while Sinclair died of his injuries two days later in hospital.
Both men had concealed carry gun permits.
Keith Byrne and his three childrenDuring a press conference on Wednesday, Davie County Police Sgt. Mark Leone described the incident as “pointless and silly.”
He said that at the time of the shooting, Byrne was on the phone with a friend, who later told police he heard Keith say “my bad” to Sinclair in an attempt to apologise.
“At that time over the phone he heard the gunshots and Mr Byrne said, ‘I think I’ve been shot,’ started slurring his speech, and then the phone call was disconnected,” said Sgt. Leone.
“Mr Byrne was acting in self-defence when he ultimately fired back at Mr Sinclair.
“[If Sinclair had survived] we would have identified him as the primary aggressor, and he would have ultimately been charged with murder,” he added.
Byrne will reportedly be buried with full military honours at the South Florida National Cemetery.
A GoFundMe seeking to raise $20,000 for Byrne’s three children and wife has been created by a family friend.
