SARASOTA, Fla — The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is searching for a man who they say fatally shot someone at Ackerman Park.
Just before 11 p.m. on Dec. 29, deputies responded to reports of gunshots at the park, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.
Witnesses reportedly say a large group of people was gathered in the park when several shots were fired from the back seat of a car in the parking lot.
Bystanders were able to find the person who was shot in the back on the ground and drove him away from the scene, deputies explained. Paramedics met with them in another parking lot nearby.
The man was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
Detectives determined the car involved in the shooting to be a gold Hyundai occupied by passengers Kalvion Turner and Nyquan Priester, both 20, in the back seats, the sheriff's office reports.
Turner reportedly showed up to the sheriff's office hours after the shooting with an attorney to meet detectives.
During an interview, Turner confessed to being in the car when the shooting happened but denied firing the gun, according to deputies. The driver of the car later was able to identify Priester as the shooter.
The driver also told deputies Priester said, "I'm fixin' to air this b---- out. I'm fixin' to shoot at people," just before the shooting happened, according to an arrest warrant.
Further investigation revealed Turner went with Priester to Whitaker Park to get rid of the gun used in the shooting, the sheriff's office explains. Detectives were not able to find it.
Turner voluntarily arrived at the sheriff's office headquarters and was taken into custody Thursday afternoon, according to the release.
He is being charged with principal to second-degree murder with a firearm and is being held on no bond.
Detectives are searching for Priester, who is wanted on single counts of second-degree murder and discharging a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of any person. There is a warrant out for his arrest.
He is described by deputies as 5-feet, 3-inches tall and approximately 145 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on where Priester may be is asked to contact the Criminal Investigations Section at 941-861-4900.
This is an ongoing investigation.
