Joseph Timothy Clifford, a male aged 37 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was one of several victims killed in a mass shooting on February 9, 1996. The incident took place in a municipal trailer used by the city's beach maintenance crew during the early morning hours. The shooter, later identified as Clifton McCree, was a former beach maintenance crew employee who had been terminated in December 1994 after failing a drug test and reportedly making threats toward his coworkers.
On that morning, McCree returned to his former workplace armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and, according to survivors, announced that “Everyone is going to die” before firing on his former colleagues.
The male victim, age 37, Joseph Timothy Clifford, was among five city employees fatally shot during the attack. The other victims included Joseph Belotto, age 40, Kenneth A. Brunjes, age 46, Mark Bretz, age 36, and Donald Moon Jr., age 44. Another coworker, Joseph L. Brookins, was wounded but survived and managed to call 911 as the shooting unfolded. All of the victims, including the male victim, age 37, were white. The shooter, Clifton McCree, a Black man, took his own life at the scene, eliminating the possibility of any arrest or trial.
Investigators later discovered a suicide note in which McCree explained his actions. He expressed deep emotional turmoil, stating that he no longer wanted to live because he could not support his family, and indicated that part of his motive was to punish what he described as “cowardly, racist devils” he believed had contributed to his dismissal. The male victim, age 37, along with the other slain coworkers, were specifically targeted by McCree, according to law enforcement. His note and statements from surviving witnesses suggested a premeditated plan driven by resentment and feelings of injustice.
In the days that followed, funeral services were held for the victims, including Joseph Timothy Clifford, the male aged 37. Friends, family, and community members gathered to remember their lives and to mourn the devastating loss. The tragedy prompted conversations about workplace violence, mental health, and the need for intervention when individuals show signs of severe distress or hostility. The community of Fort Lauderdale was left grappling with the shock of the event and the realization that longstanding workplace conflicts had escalated into one of the city's most notorious mass shootings.
