Witnesses describe how men took off after business owner shot dead in Fort Lauderdale

Witnesses and the attorney of a man shot and killed in front of his family spoke to NBC6 about the moments after the fatal shots were fired on Thursday morning. 

Fort Lauderdale Police said officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 1600 block of Southwest 3rd Avenue around 11:20 a.m. The area is mostly made up of marine storage and repair warehouses. 

Once there, they found the victim, an adult male, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released the victim's identity, but his attorney identified him as 44-year-old Gregory Bradford.

"It should never happen. But it should not have happened in broad daylight a block away from an elementary school," Johnny Weekes said. "The violence needs to stop."

Weeks said the victim was with his family at his office, when minutes after leaving, they called him saying he was shot. 

“I think they're completely devastated. It's something that's, I mean, for an individual that has been such a great, not just a business owner in our community in Broward, but like an upstanding citizen, I think it's very heartbreaking to them,” he said. 

Weeks said he was representing Bradford on a case.

“I've represented Gregory now for a couple months, and his case was probably going to be disposed of,” Weeks said. “He had bought a car that the VIN number was changed, unknown to him. And so truly, I think he was a victim in this case.”

Police initially said preliminary information indicated it was a drive-by shooting, but later said it was not a drive-by.

"We do know that the suspect or suspects did get away in a vehicle," said Fort Lauderdale Police spokesperson Casey Liening. "The shooting did not happen in a drive-by fashion, but they did get away quickly in a vehicle."

Aerial footage from Chopper6 showed the man's body covered by a yellow tarp in the parking lot of a business, with more than a dozen officers at the scene.

The victim’s family stayed on the scene, visibly upset as they waited for information on their loved one. 

Business owner Acizio Evangelista identified the victim as the owner of a shop next door. He said they would greet each other every day, but did not know each other well. 

Evangelista said he heard the shots, but did not know it was gunfire. When he came out of his garage, he saw how men drove off, and the victim was left on the floor. 

“When I saw him, I went inside, I was scared,” he said. Another neighbor called 911. 

Evangelista’s work van had two bullet holes, and a pickup truck next door also had a bullet hole. 

A witness who did not want to be identified described how two men got in a small, red car and took off. 

“It’s dangerous. I mean, I’ve been living here for a long time, that’s never happened,” he said. 

Police have not released information about a possible suspect, vehicle involved in or motive for the shooting.  

Weeks said he's "trying to bring awareness, and maybe individuals will step forward if they know anything about this brutal crime that took place today, because obviously, Mr. Bradford's family deserves it."

Police said the shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information should call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.