A nearby resident heard two bursts of shots before police found two wounded men in a driveway early Sunday.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Two bursts of early-morning gunfire startled residents of a quiet Port St. Lucie neighborhood Sunday before officers found two mortally wounded men in a driveway, according to police and a nearby resident.
The shooting killed Carl Loubeau, 24, and Juliun Stokes, 22. Police said the men exchanged gunfire after an argument outside a home in the 1300 block of Southeast Rivergreen Circle. Investigators believe the dispute concerned a house key and entering the residence.
Several people called 911 shortly before officers arrived at about 3:30 a.m., the Port St. Lucie Police Department said. Officers found Loubeau and Stokes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Both were taken to hospitals and later died.
Wanda O’Neil, who lives nearby, said she was getting ready for bed when she heard a series of bangs. She initially did not know what had caused the noise. O’Neil said she then heard what sounded like a woman speaking before a second burst of gunfire broke the early-morning quiet.
“Then I heard bang, bang, bang again and it stopped,” O’Neil said. She said she did not hear yelling or screaming during the brief interval between the two series of shots.
O’Neil said she has lived in the Rivergreen Villas neighborhood for 17 years and had not experienced a similar incident there. The shooting happened about three doors from her home, she said, making the violence feel especially close.
“We’ve never had anything like this before,” O’Neil said. “This is kind of scary because this is three doors down from me.”
Police said their preliminary investigation found that some of the people connected to the case had socialized earlier in the night and later returned to the Rivergreen Circle residence. An argument began outside over a residential key and access to the home before Loubeau and Stokes exchanged gunfire, investigators said.
Authorities described the incident as isolated and said the remaining people involved had been detained and were cooperating. Police have not announced charges, identified the other people or released information about who fired first. They also have not disclosed whether investigators recovered firearms or obtained video of the confrontation.
The investigation continued Monday, with Police Chief Richard Del Toro scheduled to provide further information at a 2:30 p.m. news conference. Police asked anyone with information who has not already spoken with detectives to contact the department at 772-871-5000.
Author note: Last updated July 20, 2026.