PORT ST. LUCIE − A father and son were arrested, each on charges including three counts of attempted murder, in separate, unrelated incidents this month, according to Port St. Lucie Police Tuesday.
Michael Hronis, 53, and his son, Joshua Hronis, 24, both of Fort Pierce, each were arrested following Port St. Lucie police investigations. The elder Hronis, who also faces a burglary charge, was arrested Monday, while his son, also facing a charge of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a felon, was apprehended in Connecticut over the weekend, police said.
The elder Hronis is accused Monday morning of going to TAMCO Group, in the 11600 block of Southwest Tom Mackie Boulevard, where he’d been fired in July.
He told police he was traveling there to “kill a bunch of people that ruined his life, but couldn’t go through with it,” Port St. Lucie Police Acting Chief Richard Del Toro said.
Michael Hronis went to TAMCO, but didn’t see his boss and left. An employee reported seeing Michael Hronis to a supervisor, who called 911, Del Toro said.
“Officers initially responded to the TAMCO, and learned that the suspect’s unexpected arrival, combined with his work history of violent behavior, made staff feel uneasy,” Del Toro said.
Police apprehended him at a Burger King in the 11200 block of Southwest Village Parkway, about 1.2 miles from TAMCO. Investigators recovered a handgun with a loaded magazine, an additional loaded magazine and more ammunition.
Michael Hronis also carried an urn with the ashes of his parents.
“The suspect informed officers that he went to TAMCO to murder his former boss who fired him and two additional employees who helped get him fired,” Del Toro said. “He then planned to take his own life following the incident.”
The TAMCO and Burger King locations are in the Tradition area of Port St. Lucie, west of Interstate 95 and south of Tradition Parkway.
TAMCO Group makes and distributes electrical and lighting products under eight brands.
Investigators learned Michael Hronis recently was evicted from an apartment and was living in a hotel, but had to be out of the hotel Monday.
He lacked access to his vehicle following a DUI arrest last year, and took an Uber to TAMCO, Del Toro said.
'Mistaken identity'
The younger Hronis is accused Aug. 16, of a shooting outside VYBZ Lounge, in the 2000 block of Northwest Courtyard Circle in St. Lucie West. Two men were non-fatally struck by gunfire while in a vehicle.
Investigators learned through video surveillance the suspected shooter had been in an altercation in the lounge and was seen speaking to a man at 1:28 a.m. when the man pushed the suspect away.
“The victims were standing 20 to 25 feet away from the suspect, and the victims were then observed walking towards the front exit of the lounge,” Del Toro said, noting police don’t believe the victims were involved with the altercation with Joshua Hronis in the lounge.
“We believe this to be a case of mistaken identity,” Del Toro said. “They were just unintended victims.”
Police learned of the VYBZ incident after officers went to Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital after a 45-year-old man and a 25-year-old man arrived with gunshot wounds. Police have said the men left VYBZ and got in their vehicle when a person in an older, dark sedan fired into the vehicle, “striking the front seat passenger and rear seat passenger,” police stated. The driver wasn’t hurt, and drove the two men to the hospital, while the alleged gunman fled in the sedan.
Police posted information about the incident on social media and tips came in identifying the alleged suspect.
“The suspect also utilized his girlfriend's vehicle the morning of the shooting, and later told her, when she confronted him about the vehicle listed on the need-to-identify bulletin that he messed up and had shot two people because they knocked him out inside the lounge,” Del Toro said.
'I didn’t do this you guys did'
Del Toro said he didn’t know whether the son knew of the father’s alleged actions.
“The father definitely knew about the son's crimes because he was interviewed and lied to our investigators during that follow up investigation,” Del Toro said.
According to an arrest affidavit, police learned of statements on Michael Hronis’ Facebook page in recent days stating, “It’s so funny how you hear about people running there (sic) mouth I’ll have the last laugh” and “Judgement (sic) Day is upon us remember I’m not the bad guy I didn’t do this you guys did.”
Michael Hronis told investigators the Facebook posts weren’t related to the incidents Monday.
“He claimed that he has always been referencing Judgment Day and it is nothing new,” an arrest affidavit states.
Del Toro said it appeared Michael Hronis’s life had taken a downturn.
“Based on what he explained to us, his life is basically crumbling,” Del Toro said. “He went there to basically exact revenge on some people that he holds responsible for it crumbling, although he left out the fact his son also did some pretty heinous actions as well that led to his life being in the situation that it is right now.”
The younger Hronis was apprehended Saturday by police in Connecticut after investigators got information he had fled and was living with family.
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Will Greenleeis a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X@OffTheBeatTweetor reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him atwill.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
