A Florida man who had worked at a sugar mill for 31 years shot and killed his boss after he was fired, authorities said.
Felix Cabrera, 86, of Belle Glade, had asked the victim if he could continue working another year because of financial reasons but was told no, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Friday.
"Cabrera became upset, pulled the gun out of his pocket and shot the victim several times, killing him," authorities said.
The identity of the victim has not been released, but the sheriff's office said the person was an employee of Sugar Cane Growers.
The manufacturer told the Palm Beach Post in a statement that it was “horrified and deeply saddened by the senseless violence."
“The victim was part of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative family, and we are praying for the victim’s loved ones, as well as all our team members and growers,” the statement said.
The cooperative is comprised of 44 small- to medium-sized member farms that grow sugarcane on about 70,000 acres in the Everglades Agricultural Area, according to its website. The cooperative produces more than 350,000 tons of raw sugar each year that, once refined, is enough to meet the demand of more than 9 million people.
Cabrera was charged with one count of premeditated first-degree murder and is being held without bond. Online court records do not list an attorney for him.