Investigators say the shooting happened near the pool area at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North just before 10 a.m.; the victim was taken to a hospital as a trauma alert.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — A 26-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday after police said she shot her brother at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North hotel shortly before 10 a.m., prompting a brief lockdown and a large response near Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport.
Police identified the suspect as Keana Mason, who they said faces one count of aggravated domestic battery with a deadly weapon. Officers were called around 9:50 a.m. to the hotel at 6550 N. Andrews Ave., where they found a man with an upper-body gunshot wound. Detectives said the woman and the wounded man are siblings. The victim was transported as a trauma alert to Broward Health Medical Center. His name and condition were not immediately released as investigators continued interviews and processed the scene.
Officers said they reached the suspected shooter at the property and detained her without further incident. A guest who gave only her first name, Rose, said a man “stumbled into the pool area who had been shot in the shoulder,” adding, “I think it’s very scary,” she said. Another guest, Lukell Bell Jr., described seeing heavily armed officers moving through the hotel. “There was a whole bunch of SWAT,” Bell said. “Somebody got shot. It was crazy.” Crime scene tape briefly encircled the pool deck while detectives documented evidence and interviewed witnesses in nearby corridors and a stairwell.
Officials said responding officers provided immediate medical aid until Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue could safely enter the area and take over. The hotel initiated a temporary lockdown while police cleared common spaces. Investigators later confirmed the suspect is the victim’s sister and said the case appears domestic in nature, though a motive remains unknown. Detectives did not release the caliber or type of weapon recovered. No other injuries were reported, and officers said there is no ongoing threat to guests or staff.
Records show officers were called to the hotel’s North Andrews Avenue address just before 10 a.m., aligning with reports from multiple guests about an incident near the pool. The Marriott North sits a short distance from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and a cluster of business parks along Cypress Creek. Police activity focused on the pool area and upper-floor corridors; parts of the fourth and fifth floors were checked as detectives traced movements linked to the arrest, according to people who watched from balconies and the lobby.
Police said Mason was arrested on a charge of aggravated domestic battery with a deadly weapon following an interview with detectives. She was expected to be taken to a Broward jail facility following processing. Detectives continued to canvass the property for surveillance video and to gather statements from guests and staff. Authorities said they will release the victim’s identity and an updated medical status when appropriate and after family notifications. No court appearance time was immediately provided Tuesday, and police said additional charges could be considered depending on the victim’s condition and findings from the investigative file.
Guests described a tense but orderly scene in the late morning as officers restricted movement around the pool and lobby. “When I walked downstairs, they told us to stay back while they worked,” Bell said. Others watched from upper floors as detectives placed evidence markers and conferred with hotel security. By early afternoon, the lockdown had been lifted and guests were allowed to reenter common areas. Hotel representatives at the scene deferred questions to law enforcement while housekeeping crews resumed work on floors that had been cleared.
As of Tuesday evening, police had not released a motive and the victim’s condition remained unknown. Investigators said they plan to provide updates as the case moves forward and after speaking with more witnesses and reviewing video from the property.
Author note: Last updated January 6, 2026.