The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Javontee Brice, was later killed in a shootout with law enforcement.
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells recounted the chilling sequence of events at a press conference. He revealed that Brice initially visited an apartment in Palmetto, where his sister and ex-girlfriend were present. "He looked at the ex-girlfriend and said, 'I have to kill you.' Somehow the sister was able to talk him down and talk him out of him shooting this ex-girlfriend," Wells said. The sister later informed investigators that Brice was behaving unusually.
Brice then proceeded to a Motel 6 in Bradenton, where his mother, two young sisters, and the mother's boyfriend were staying. "Around 9:15 p.m., he walked into that hotel room, looked at the mother and said, 'I'm sorry,'" Wells said. When his mother inquired about his actions, Brice shot her three times in front of the boyfriend and the two young girls.
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The suspect's next stop was a house in Palmetto, where a cookout was in progress. His cousin was preparing to leave when Brice allegedly shot her around 9:40 p.m. The 29-year-old woman succumbed to her injuries approximately an hour later.
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Brice's violent spree continued in Bradenton, at the residence of another ex-girlfriend and her new partner. "At about 10:04 p.m., Brice allegedly shot and killed the new partner," Wells said.
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Following these incidents, the sheriff's office issued a statewide "Be On the Lookout" bulletin for Brice's vehicle. It was later located in Hamilton County, near the Georgia state line. Authorities speculated that Brice was possibly heading to Georgia to target another ex-girlfriend.
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The deadly saga concluded when police intercepted Brice in Hamilton County around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. "Brice got out of the car and started firing at officers," Wells said. The officers returned fire, resulting in Brice's death.
A woman accompanying Brice during the shootout is currently being interviewed. "We don't know her relation to him at this point, but she was in the car when the shootout took place," Wells said.
As the investigation continues, Brice's family is grappling with the loss of their loved ones. "He seemed to have an agenda; he knew exactly who he wanted to kill and he did not have a hard time locating them," Wells said. The motive behind Brice's actions remains unclear. "We don't know what set this man off. We don't know why he chose to kill his loved ones," the sheriff added. As the community seeks answers, the authorities remain committed to uncovering the circumstances that led to this tragic series of events.
