911 calls released after deadly road rage shooting

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - Questions linger about a deadly road rage incident that happened on May 13.

The shooting happened at the intersection of Fruitville and Cattlemen roads. Patrol deputies responded to the area for a reported shooting at 8:08 p.m. Deputies located a man who had been shot in a pickup truck on Fruitville west of I-75, according to officials.

Nearby, a female drive and male passenger were located in a sedan. According to the press release, the passenger stated that after a verbal altercation, the driver of the pickup truck pointed a gun at him and the driver of the sedan.

The passenger said that he exited the vehicle and fired multiple rounds into the driver’s side of the pickup truck, striking the driver. The man has a valid CCW and had a firearm on him at the time.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office followed up by releasing a number of 911 calls to ABC7.

Eyewitnesses, who did not share their names, described the harrowing details.

One of those callers described the chaos, “We just heard pop pop pop pop!”

Another caller said, “I saw the gun in the hand.”

One terrified driver after another reported shots fired and a pickup truck rolling eastbound along Fruitville Road.

A third caller said, “There were two cars in front of us, the car that was the furthest in front, to the left, started shooting at the car on the right.”

A fourth 911 caller said, “Someone got out of the car behind us and shot someone in another car.”

An eyewitness also described seeing that pickup with the driver in the front seat who was shot.

This person said, “We were sitting at a light, and we heard gunshots, and [in] this black truck, [there was] a person dead in it. The car is just going forward.”

The dead person inside the truck was a 58-year-old Sarasota man. Initial reports from deputies indicated one man died of an apparent gunshot wound after he allegedly “pointed a gun” at another driver and a passenger.

Deputies say the shooter fired his own Concealed Carry Weapon licensed gun after the first driver drew his.

This unnamed shooter, who many callers described as an “African-American man with dreadlocks,” fired several rounds killing the driver in the pickup.

A caller said, “About five shots were fired.”

People driving in the area were fearful for their lives.

“We need somebody to come get this car because he is about to hit somebody,” a caller said when describing the pickup truck with a presumed-dead driver slumped behind the wheel.

Deputy reports released to ABC7 did not name the driver, who they found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, citing privacy laws.

They also cite that same reason for not providing the names of the man who fired those deadly shots, or his passenger.

SCSO confirmed that these three people involved were all from Sarasota.

For the several eyewitnesses, who saw someone get shot and killed that fateful Saturday evening right before Mother’s Day, it’s an image they will never forget.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” said a caller.

ABC7 is going to continue investigating this deadly shooting.

Check back for developments.

Copyright 2023 WWSB. All rights reserved.