BRADENTON, FL – A harrowing night of violence in Manatee County saw three women fatally shot, including the mother of the alleged gunman, before the suspect was killed in a standoff with law enforcement. Authorities revealed that the man had plans for another attack in Georgia.
The suspect, 28-year-old Javontee Brice, was shot dead by Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies early Tuesday morning. The deadly confrontation took place around 1:30 a.m., following a series of shootings that began at a Motel 6 in Bradenton. Deputies responding to the motel found Brice’s 48-year-old mother dead from a gunshot wound.
Witnesses at the scene recounted that Brice had arrived at the motel, shot his mother, and then fled. The violence continued later that night. At approximately 9:40 p.m., deputies were called to a shooting in Palmetto, where they discovered a 29-year-old woman in her car, gravely injured. Despite efforts to save her, she died about an hour later. Witnesses once again identified Brice as the shooter.
As the investigation progressed, Brice was linked to a third shooting that occurred just after 10 p.m. in Bradenton. The victim, a woman, was shot and later died at a local hospital. With Brice named as the suspect in all three incidents, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office issued a statewide alert for his vehicle.
Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together to locate Brice near the state line in Hamilton County. The coordinated effort resulted in a fatal shootout early Tuesday morning. Authorities later confirmed that Brice had been on his way to Georgia to commit another shooting before being stopped.
The motive behind Brice’s actions remains unknown, and the investigation is ongoing. The community is left to mourn the loss of three lives, while authorities continue to search for answers.