A tragic event unfolded on June 24, 2024, as three women were fatally shot in different incidents in Bradenton, Florida. Javontee Brice, a 28-year-old man, was identified as the suspect in the killings, which included his mother, cousin, and another woman. Brice was later shot dead by deputies in a Georgia shootout.
The victims were identified as Titinysha Scott, 48, Sacouya Starquez Jonquila Brice, 29, and Charel Jones, 27, by the Bradenton Police Department.
The string of murders started at a Motel 6 in Bradenton, where Brice killed his mother, Titinysha Scott. Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells reported that Brice entered the motel room, apologized to his mother, and upon her querying his actions, shot her three times in front of her boyfriend and two younger sisters.
Brice’s violent spree reportedly began earlier at a Palmetto, Florida apartment. Sheriff Wells, at a press conference, detailed that Brice threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend but was dissuaded by his sister. Following this, he went to the Motel 6 where he committed the first murder.
At around 9:40 p.m., deputies were alerted to another shooting in Palmetto, where Brice’s cousin, Sacouya Starquez Jonquila Brice, had been shot inside a parked SUV. She was leaving a cookout when Brice approached and shot her. She succumbed to her injuries approximately an hour later.
Brice continued his violent streak by shooting Charel Jones, his former girlfriend’s current partner, who later died at a local hospital. During their investigation, authorities discovered that Brice was on his way to Georgia with the intention of killing another ex-girlfriend.
A statewide Be On the Lookout (BOLO) alert was issued. Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies located Brice’s car and at around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a shootout with Brice ensued. “Brice got out of the car shooting at deputies,” confirmed Sheriff Wells. No deputies were harmed in the exchange.
Investigations are ongoing to establish Brice’s motives. “He seemed to have an agenda. He knew exactly who he wanted to kill,” Wells stated. A woman who was with Brice throughout his violent spree is also being questioned by the authorities. Brice, who fathered 12 children with various women, seemed to have targeted his ex-girlfriends and female family members.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct a thorough investigation into the shootout involving Hamilton County deputies to verify protocol adherence.
The Bradenton and Palmetto communities in Florida have been left reeling in the wake of these events. As the victims’ friends and families grapple with their sudden and brutal loss, authorities continue their efforts to uncover what led Brice down this violent path.
