The suspect shot three women at three different locations before traveling north toward Georgia to kill again, the sheriff’s office said.
BRADENTON, Fla. — Manatee County Sheriff’s Office detectives are piecing together what led a man to shoot and kill three women, including his mother, authorities said.
It all started around 9:15 p.m. Monday at Motel 6 on 67th Street Circle East in Bradenton. Deputies said they were called to the motel and found a 48-year-old woman dead. She had been shot.
Witnesses reportedly told deputies that 28-year-old Javontee Brice came to the motel and shot his mother “for unknown reasons” and left, possibly heading for Georgia.
Not even a half hour later, deputies said they were called around 9:40 p.m. to 26th Street Court East near 9th Avenue Drive East in Palmetto. A 29-year-old woman had been shot while sitting inside a parked SUV. When deputies arrived, they said Palmetto police officers were attempting life-saving measures.
The woman died about an hour later, the sheriff’s office said.
Brice was also identified as the shooter by witnesses, deputies said.
Just after 10 p.m., deputies said they got word about another shooting back in Bradenton on 55th Street West near 8th Avenue Drive West. Bradenton police were at the scene and reportedly learned Brice was also responsible for shooting a third woman before driving away. She later died at the hospital.
A statewide BOLO was issued for Brice’s car and multiple law enforcement agencies came together to track Brice to Hamilton County, not far from the Florida/Georgia state line, the sheriff’s office said.
CBS affiliate WCTV-TV reports Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office deputies located Brice’s car driving around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 75. Deputies reportedly followed it to a closed service station where Brice got out of the car and started shooting at deputies.
Returning fire, deputies shot and killed Brice.
WCTV reports a woman was inside Brice’s car at the time of the shooting and ran away from the gunfire exchange. Deputies reportedly found the woman and are speaking with her. She is not facing charges at this time, the news outlet reported.
Detectives said they believe Brice was driving to Georgia with intent to kill a fourth person.
