PORT ST. LUCIE, FL — A parking-lot argument outside a Pollo Tropical in Port St. Lucie escalated Saturday afternoon into a shooting that left one man with a gunshot wound to the chest and another facing criminal charges.

Police said the fight began over a parking space outside the restaurant on NW St. Lucie West Boulevard. Officers arrived around 3:43 p.m. on Sept. 19 and found Christopher Harris suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Investigators later said Harris had a knife and that the shooting happened after he confronted another man. The other man, Isaiah Davis, 25, was detained at the scene while officers gathered evidence and reviewed surveillance footage.

Police say the confrontation started inside the restaurant and moved back outside

According to Port St. Lucie police, Davis had entered the restaurant to pick up a delivery order. Harris followed him inside even though he did not appear to be there to place or collect food, investigators said.

When Davis left the restaurant, police say Harris followed him outside. Video and witness accounts indicated the dispute had already turned physical by that point, with Harris allegedly pushing Davis and advancing toward him as Davis backed away.

Police said the interaction did not remain a simple argument over a space in the lot. Instead, it became a face-to-face confrontation that unfolded in front of the business as customers and bystanders looked on.

Surveillance video showed Harris advancing with a knife, detectives say

Detectives said restaurant surveillance video was central to their conclusion about what happened. The footage reportedly showed Harris armed with a knife during the confrontation outside the business.

Police said Harris pushed Davis and moved toward him after Davis retreated. At that point, investigators said, Davis drew a firearm and fired one round that struck Harris in the upper torso.

Investigators later recovered the firearm and secured it as evidence. Police also said they found two knives connected to Harris, including one in his waistband while aid was being provided and another in his front pocket.

Bystanders and workers rendered aid before Harris was taken to the hospital

After being shot, Harris returned to the restaurant, where people inside began helping him and called 911. Officers and emergency personnel responded to the scene, and the area around the Pollo Tropical was taped off during the investigation.

Harris was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital for treatment. Police said he was later treated and released before being booked into the St. Lucie County Jail on Sunday.

The scene drew attention from shoppers and people in the area because of the time of day and the location inside a busy shopping plaza. Witnesses described the violence as unexpected in a place many consider quiet and routine.

Police say Davis acted in self-defense during the shooting

Investigators said Davis was acting in self-defense when he fired the shot. Police said that determination was based on surveillance video, witness statements and other evidence collected during the case.

Officials said Harris was identified as the primary aggressor after detectives reviewed the sequence of events. That finding led to Harris being charged rather than Davis.

Police did not say Davis was arrested. Instead, investigators said he was detained briefly at the scene while they worked to sort out what happened and recover physical evidence.

Harris faces attempted aggravated battery and a felony battery charge

Based on the investigation, police said Harris was charged with attempted aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and felony battery because of a prior battery conviction.

The case adds criminal charges to a violent encounter that began with a parking dispute and quickly escalated outside a restaurant in western Port St. Lucie. Police have not described any other injuries connected to the incident.

What started as a disagreement in a restaurant parking lot ended with gunfire, a hospital visit and a jail booking, leaving investigators to piece together a confrontation that unfolded in minutes.