BOYNTON BEACH — An 18-year-old is accused of sh**t*ng a customer during an attempted armed r*bbery outside a Marathon gas station, then fleeing before investigators located him in West Palm Beach later that day.
Christopher Carlos Porta was arrested October 27, 2026, according to a Boynton Beach Police Department arrest report and probable cause affidavit.
The affidavit describes attempted h**micide with a f*rearm and attempted r*bbery with a f*rearm. It states that the victim survived with injuries described as not life-threatening.
Victim Says Cellphone Stopped a Round
Police received multiple 911 calls around 11:12 a.m. reporting shots at the station on South Congress Avenue near Woolbright Road. Responding officers found a man with a wound to his right ankle. He was transported to Delray Medical Center for treatment.
The victim told detectives he had entered the store to make a purchase. As he returned to his Jeep, he felt a f*rearm pressed against his back and heard a demand for his belongings, according to the affidavit.
He said he turned around and refused to surrender his possessions. According to his statement, the suspect shot him in the ankle, threatened to kill him and fired another round that struck the shorts pocket containing his cellphone. The victim told police the phone prevented that round from striking his body.
The victim reported running toward the gas pumps as the suspect continued firing.
Surveillance and a Discarded Sandal
Detectives reviewed footage from the gas station and nearby intersection cameras. According to the affidavit, station footage showed the suspect firing toward the ground before pointing the weapon at the victim. Investigators wrote that the f*rearm appeared to malfunction and that live rounds fell while the suspect tried to clear it.
Police said intersection cameras captured the suspect firing as the victim fled, then running to a silver Nissan and entering a rear seat as the vehicle drove away.
Investigators recovered two spent shell casings, three live rounds and a single black slide sandal near the scene.
Suspect Located in West Palm Beach
Officers located the suspected getaway vehicle in Boynton Beach. Investigators said the suspect subsequently switched to a blue Nissan, which agents followed to a West Palm Beach residence.
There, agents reported seeing Porta carrying a red satchel and wearing only one slide sandal. During a call-out at the residence, investigators allege Porta threw a black 9mm handgun into an adjoining alley. Agents recovered the weapon and took him into custody without incident.
According to the affidavit, two people who had been traveling with Porta identified him from surveillance images. The victim also identified him in a photo lineup.
Porta denied having been in Boynton Beach during questioning and requested an attorney, the affidavit states.
Record clarification: The supplied booking image displays a h**micide charge label. The October 27 affidavit instead describes attempted h**micide and attempted armed r*bbery and states that the victim’s injuries were not life-threatening. The image label should not be read as evidence that the victim died. The supplied affidavit does not establish the final disposition of the charges.
Source: Boynton Beach Police Department arrest report and probable cause affidavit, agency report 34-26-085382, in Palm Beach County court file 502026CF008084AXXXMB.
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