Shooting spree leaves 3 dead in Manatee County; suspect killed by police

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after three women were shot Monday night.

Officials said they were called to a shooting outside the Motel 6 on 68th Street Circle East in Bradenton at about 9:15 p.m. When they arrived, they found a 48-year-old woman dead from a gunshot wound.

According to the sheriff’s office, witnesses told officers that 28-year-old Javontee Brice came to the motel and shot his mother for unknown reasons, then fled the area, possibly heading toward Georgia.

At around 9:40 p.m., officers were called to another shooting in the 900 block of 26th Street Court East in Palmetto. A 29-year-old woman was shot while sitting in a parked SUV. Palmetto police officers attempted to save the woman’s life, but she died about an hour later. Witnesses identified Brice as the shooter.

Deputies said they received information that another shooting occurred at 4800 55th Street in Bradenton shortly after 10 p.m. Bradenton police officers said they learned that Brice shot a woman before fleeing the area. The woman later died at the hospital.

Officials issued a statewide “watch” for Brice’s vehicle. Multiple law enforcement agencies helped track Brice down to Hamilton County near the state line.

Manatee County officials said Brice was shot and killed by Hamilton County officers after he fired at them around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Manatee County detectives said they learned that Brice traveled to Georgia with the intent to kill another person.