BRADENTON, Fla. — Three women are dead in Manatee County after a man went on a killing spree Monday night that included his own mother.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells said it started around 9 p.m. on June 24 when Javontee Brice, 28, walked into a home at Palmetto Trace Apartments, and threatened his ex-girlfriend, the mother of "one of his many children."
According to Sheriff Wells, Brice told his ex-girlfriend, "I have to kill you." But Brice's sister, who was also at the apartment, talked him out of shooting the woman. The sister told investigators he was acting "strange."
The Manatee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) said around 9:15 p.m., deputies were then dispatched to a Motel 6 on 67th Street Circle East in Bradenton in response to a shooting. When they arrived, they found Brice's 48-year-old mother, Titinysha Scott, who had been fatally shot.
Sheriff Wells said an investigation revealed that Brice's mother, his mother's boyfriend and his two minor sisters were inside the room during the time of the shooting. He added that Brice apologized to his mother before shooting her three times and leaving.
Witnesses also told deputies that they saw Brice arrive at the motel and shoot the victim before fleeing the area and possibly heading to Georgia.
David Valentin, who was staying in the room one floor below Scott, recalled hearing arguing followed by four gunshots.
"I started hearing the daughter screaming, 'Help me. Help me. My mom's been shot, my mom's been shot.' So I told my son to give me towels. I went out the door, ran upstairs and ran in. And that's when I found out that it was her son that shot her," he recalled.
Below is his full account of what happened.
Later, around 9:40 p.m., deputies were dispatched to another shooting in the 900 block of 26th Street Court East in Palmetto. There, they found the second victim, a 29-year-old woman who they later identified as Brice's cousin, Sacouya Starquez Jonquila Brice. She was fatally shot while sitting inside a parked SUV after spending time at a cookout in the area.
Nearby neighbor John Sing says he was sitting on his porch when it all happened.
Palmetto Police officers were attempting lifesaving measures on the victim when deputies arrived, but she died around an hour later at a hospital. Witnesses again identified Brice as the shooter.
Watch Sheriff Wells Press Conference:
While investigating both cases, deputies were notified of yet another shooting in Bradenton on 56th Street East around 10 p.m., where they later learned that another ex-girlfriend of Brice lived with her new partner, 31-year-old Charel Carter.
When they arrived, deputies said Bradenton Police were at the scene and learned Brice shot Carter before fleeing the area. She died at a local hospital.
Manatee County detectives said that they then learned Brice was heading to Georgia with the intent to kill another person, possibly another ex-girlfriend.
A statewide BOLO (Be On The Lookout) was issued for Brice's vehicle, and multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in tracking down Brice, who was in Hamilton County near the state line.
Hamilton County deputies stopped Brice after spotting his car around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday. According to Sheriff Wells, Brice immediately exited the car and started shooting at deputies.
Deputies then fired back, killing Brice. According to officials, he had a woman with him when he was on his way to Hamilton County. She was not injured and is not facing any charges.
Sheriff Wells said they are still unsure of a motive and "may never know." They also believe that Brice has 12 kids.
Florida unlicensed contractor faces a bond normally reserved for murderers and violent criminals.
