Photo obtained by Andy Slater of Local 10 News.
A violent road rage incident on a Florida interstate in which a driver fired nearly a dozen shots toward another car is leaving some on Twitter worried about Americans without adequate mental healthcare.
Dashcam footage of the shooter, Eric Popper, 30, was recently released from an incident that took place in June 2021.
Around 6:53 a.m. on June 21, 2021, during the morning rush on I-95 in Miami, when the highway was packed with cars, investigators said Popper cut off another driver.
He was driving a black Toyota Venza when he changed lanes in front of another car and abruptly cut off the driver, according to Local News 10, which obtained the dashcam footage.
That cut-off driver started tailgating and honking at Popper, ABC News reported.
Reportedly, that driver threw something at Popper’s car while he passed by him. After that, Popper is seen in the video reaching into his center console and pulling out a handgun. He then opens fire, showing no emotion.
According to Popper, he thought he was the one being shot at, and that’s why he started shooting at the other driver. But authorities said the other driver, who was not injured, was unarmed.
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Popper, who was a civilian fire inspector with Miami Beach, later turned himself in to police after the incident and handed over the dashcam video. He faces two felony charges that carry up to 15 years in prison. His hearing is set for April 2022.
Road rage contributes to around 30 U.S. deaths annually, according to AAA 2019 data.
People on Twitter spoke out about the connection between road rage and mental health.
“Always assume that everyone in America has a gun and little access to mental health care before you decide to confront or escalate during an interaction,” tweeted Cleophus Alexander (@bktexas83).
“I literally *beg* friends and family to think about this. You never know what kind of psycho you could be tailgating, brake checking or flipping off in traffic,” tweeted Emily (@WrenisPinkl).
Photo obtained by Andy Slater of Local 10 News.
