POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff's Office arrested a 25-year-old man after they said he shot a victim multiple times in the back in Davenport Sunday morning.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the shooting happened just before 6 a.m. at 5100 Kersey Street.
The victim, 19-year-old Devyne Pritchett, was with some friends at a nearby hotel. The friends told officials Pritchett used some drugs, freaked out and left, ending up at the Landing at Four Corners apartment complex.
Witnesses told officials Pritchett held out finger guns, said "pow pow pow" and was acting strange.
Pritchett allegedly grabbed a witness on the shoulder, but the witness shoved Pritchett and went to his apartment on the third floor.
The witness told officials Pritchett followed him on the third floor, but was lying down acting strangely.
Sheriff Judd said the suspect, 25-year-old Bryan Medeiros, came out of his second-floor apartment after hearing what was going on on the third floor.
Medeiros then went to his car and grabbed a gun and went to the third floor with his gun and found the victim on the floor, officials said.
BELOW IS THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY SHERIFF JUDD:
Pritchett then took the stairs down to the second floor and Medeiros went down the stairs as well following him, officials said.
Pritchett was not wearing a shirt and had his pants down to his thighs when he met Medeiros on the second floor, officials said.
Officials said Medeiros heard Pritchett say "pow pow pow" while holding out finger guns and started walking toward him.
Sheriff Judd said it was evident Pritchett did not have a weapon on him.
Medeiros pulled out his gun and shot at Pritchett, but it did nothing, officials said.
Pritchett walked past Medeiros and headed toward the stairs.
Officials said Medeiros followed Pritchett, passed his apartment and shot him in the back multiple times.
"If (Medeiros) had simply gone into his residence, there would not have been a problem," Sheriff Judd said.
Sheriff Judd said Pritchett tried walking down the stairs after being shot, but fell and died on the staircase.
"People who do not understand the Stand Your Ground law will end up arrested because they misjudged what it means," Sheriff Judd said.
Sheriff Judd said they are suggesting Medeiros was outside the bounds of Stand Your Ground. He said Mederios was seeking out Pritchett.
Deputies arrested Mederios for Manslaughter and Carrying a Concealed Firearm.
