Deputies: Killer 'snapped' on ex-supervisor

Man killed former boss with car, later killed himself during standoff

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A man who struck and killed another man with his car before killing himself hours later "just snapped" when he had a chance encounter with his former supervisor at a Walmart, according to Nassau County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff George Leuders.

Leuders said 59-year-old Allen Fourtunia struck 53-year-old Steven Swan with his car at about 5:15 p.m., then got out of his car and assaulted Swan, kicking and hitting him, before driving off.

LISTEN: 911 call by suspect who killed self

Swan was flown to UF Health Jacksonville, where he later died.

Leuders said that before Fourtunia (pictured below in booking photo from prior arrest) killed himself, he called dispatch to tell his story, how he held Swan and another supervisor responsible for the loss of his job with a defense contractor at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in 2010.

"I want you to confirm for me that the person I killed in the Walmart parking lot is Steve Swan," Fourtunia told a 911 dispatcher. "I can't live with myself if I thought I killed somebody that wasn't him."

Fourtunia told the dispatcher "it was good for him, bad for (Swan)." Fourtunia "harbored ill feelings" against Swan for years, and had made previous death threats for ruining his career, Leuders said. He said Fourtunia was Baker Acted in 2007 for making suicidal threats, and suicidal notes were found in his home.

Neighbors said Fourtunia had long been depressed about the loss of his job.

Deputies obtained surveillance video of the parking lot incident from the Yulee Walmart. Three people followed Fourtunia, who left the scene into a nearby subdivision, where he got out of his car at his home and fired shots at them, Lueders said. Deputies responded to the area, and after they established a perimeter, he fired shots at the deputies, Lueders said. After the third volley of shots at the deputies, they returned fire, Lueders said.

Nassau County Sheriff's Office booking photo of Allen Fourtunia from prior arrest

Kyle Davis, who used to be military, was one of the three good Samaritans who was shot at while chasing down Fourtunia. He spoke to News4Jax Wednesday night.

"First thing I noticed was the car on the side," Davis said. "The next thing I noticed was the faces on the peoples face was panicked. I saw the car on the side of Walmart starting to speed off."

Davis said his instincts took over after after he witness Fourtunia run over a man and then take off from the parking lot.

"As soon as I noticed he was speeding off I cut through the parking lot -- probably through four or five lines -- speeding as fast as I could, trying to intercept the car. And he ran through the stop sign at such a high speed he hit a curb," Davis said.

Davis then followed Fourtunia to his home and got out of his truck just seconds before the gunman fired five shots. Shortly after that Fourtuna barricaded himself into his home.

"I heard four to six shots and when we heard shots we went to the next door neighbors, we called the cops and held up in there until the cops arrived," Davis said.

Lueders said Fourtunia called 911 after police arrived and told police to back off because he had hostages.

After several hours without contact, deputies forced entry into the home about 11:20 p.m., finding Fourtunia dead, but no one else inside.

"The individual was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the rear bedroom of the residence," Lueders said. "He had also set up a makeshift detonation device like a bomb."

Lueders described the device as a propane tank that did not detonate.

"There were several guns in the house. He was armed with a handgun. When he left Walmart, he went in the house and armed himself with some long rifles," Lueders said.

Fourtunia was with the Air National Guard until 2009, and Leuders said that probably explains the bomb-making mindset.

Lueders said deputies had been called to that home before for domestic situations.

Neighbors said Fourtunia was a retired Air Force mechanic who had worked at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay until a few years ago.

"He was a good guy," the neighbor said. "He kept to himself, but he waved. He loved the kids. He loved the neighbors' dogs."

Swan began working at Trident Refit Facilities, a defense contractor on base, in 1990 and eventually became the foreman. Fourtunia started working at Trident in 1997 and retired in 2010, but he claimed he was forced out. Swan was Fourtunia's supervisor.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mr. Swan," a spokesperson for Trident said. "We are cooperating with Nassau County authorities as they investigate. We have made counselors available to Mr. Swan's coworkers.

"Mr. Swan was a very, very respected leader at Kings Bay. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and coworkers."

Those who knew Swan said they can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt him. They said Swan was a great family man who always played with his children in the front yard.

Swan's family is now making funeral arrangements. The investigation is ongoing.

Fourtunia was served with a domestic violence injunction in 2005, which was followed by a divorce that same year. He was arrested for contempt of court. Deputies had been to the house before on domestic calls before the divorce.

Fourtunia was evicted in 2008, and subsequently by the mortgage company in 2009. That suit was eventually dismissed.