On the 24th of June, 2024 a series of separate shootings in Bradenton, Florida resulted in the deaths of three women. The perpetrator, Javontee Brice, 28, was later killed in a shootout with deputies in Georgia. Brice shot his mother, cousin, and another woman.
The victims, identified by the Bradenton Police Department, were Titinysha Scott, 48, Sacouya Starquez Jonquila Brice, 29, and Charel Jones, 27.
According to Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells, the series of shootings started at a Motel 6 in Bradenton, Florida. Brice shot his mother, Titinysha Scott, after apologizing to her. He fired the weapon three times in the presence of her boyfriend and two younger sisters.
In a news conference, Sheriff Wells outlined the events leading up to this incident. Brice had earlier threatened his ex-girlfriend in an apartment in Palmetto, Florida but was dissuaded by his sister who was also there. He subsequently went to Motel 6, where the first murder took place.
Shortly after the first shooting, around 9:40 p.m., deputies responded to another shooting in Palmetto, Florida. Here, Brice’s cousin, Sacouya Starquez Jonquila Brice, was shot in a parked SUV as she was leaving a cookout. She succumbed to her injuries about an hour later.
Brice’s ex-girlfriend’s new partner, Charel Jones, became the next target. Jones was shot and subsequently died in a local hospital. As the probe advanced, it was revealed that Brice was en route to Georgia with the intent to kill another ex-girlfriend.
Following a statewide Be On the Lookout (BOLO) alert, deputies in Hamilton County located Brice’s vehicle. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Brice engaged the deputies in a shootout. “Brice got out of the car shooting at deputies,” confirmed Sheriff Wells. No deputies were wounded in the incident.
The motives behind Brice’s actions are still being pieced together by the authorities. “He seemed to have an agenda. He knew exactly who he wanted to kill,” said Wells. A woman who accompanied Brice during his killing spree is also being questioned. Brice, father to 12 children with different women, appeared to be targeting his ex-girlfriends and family members.
The shootout involving Hamilton County deputies will be investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to ensure all protocols were adhered to.
These shocking events have left the communities of Bradenton and Palmetto, Florida in disbelief as they grapple with the sudden and violent loss of their loved ones. The investigation is ongoing as authorities strive to comprehend the factors that led Brice to perpetrate these horrific acts.
