RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A family is calling for justice after a beloved father of five, Bryan Proenza, was shot and killed in a road rage incident last week.
It happened in Riverview, where the Proenza's partner said she and their two young children were in the car when the terrifying attack took place.
Rachel Keesee said, "A car came up behind us and hit the hitch. And I was like, what the heck?"
Keesee describes an impatient driver in a fit of road rage, rear-ending Bryan Proenza's truck.
While the interaction began at a red light, Rachel Keesee said Proenza pulled down the road, stopping at the corner of Rose Lane and Bay Tree Drive, a quiet, residential area, to check the truck for damage. But Keesee said the other car pulled over too.
"He just asked them why they kept hitting the truck. Why? And I told them that I had two kids in the car and they didn't care," Keesee recalled. "It was just talking crap, and then the guns went off. And I was so scared for my and my children's lives. And I thought [Bryan] was behind me, but he wasn't."
Bryan was shot and died on the way to the hospital.
Rachel said she and the father of five had recently looked at wedding rings together and had big plans for the future.
"He shouldn't have been taken from my kids. He shouldn't have been taken from me, the family, his mother," Keesee said. "He's very well known and he's very loved at that. And his smile and everything is amazing. and I will never, ever get to see that again."
The accused shooter, 20-year-old Jorge Ramirez, was arrested on three charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. But on Friday, he posted a $22,500 bond and was released.
According to public records, Ramirez lives down the road from the site of the shooting and roughly two miles from Proenza's family.
"I am really scared to leave my house. I'm really scared to leave the yard. I'm scared to even go visit his memorial again because I'm scared for my life," Keesee said.
Now, as Bryan's family calls for justice, they're also calling for change.
"Just be patient, man. Life is too short for all this. It's too violent out here. And I want to stop the violence," she added.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said the investigation into this incident is ongoing.
Jorge Ramirez's next court date has not been set.
The Porenza family is collecting donations for a funeral fund via GoFundMe. If you'd like to donate, click here.
The family is also holding a car wash this Sunday, Jan. 28, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. to raise money for Proenza's funeral expenses. It will be held at the Dollar General, 13173 U.S. Highway 301, Riverview, Florida.