Man found shot to death in Palmetto

An 18-year-old man was found shot to death late Sunday on a Palmetto street, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

About 11:40 p.m., a motorist driving in the 2000 block of First Avenue East saw the victim, Alexander Anderson, lying on the east side of First Avenue in a pool of blood, according to a news release. Detectives said it appeared Anderson had been shot several times in the upper body.

Just before noon Monday, the pool of blood remained on the road.

The Manatee Homicide Investigative Unit is in charge of the investigation.

“So far we do not have a suspect identified,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Dave Bristow. “He had an aggravated battery warrant and he was also a suspect in some robberies. What that had to do with the homicide? We don’t know, but as detectives investigating you use that type of information.”

Detective Jeffrey Bliss with the unit walked late Monday morning on the grassy area where Anderson’s body had been found.

Willie Kendricks, a retiree from Bradenton, drove by and stopped to talk to Bliss. The retiree said he owns the plot of land right beside where Anderson’s body was found and wanted to come and check on it.

“It’s just sad that this has to happen. There’s jobs out here but them kids don’t want to work, they just don’t want to work and they just want to try to get it the easy way,” Kendricks said. “They just don’t have no regard for people or respect for life or other people, that’s basically what it is.”

Kendricks said youth were taught better than this.

“They need to try to get jobs or maybe we need to do more as far as trying to make more jobs for them,” he said. “It’s just sad.”

Further down the street, a woman who asked to only be identified as Wilma for security reasons expressed shock at the fatal shooting.

“I’m saddened and I’m also hurt because our black youth are just dying senselessly and what do you do to stop it? When is it going to end?” she said as she stood by her front door. “We have good young black men that’s trying but they’re overshadowed by the killings and murders and talking about bad drugs in the neighborhood.”

Wilma said she didn’t know Anderson personally, but she was stunned that this happened at home. She said she loves her neighborhood.

“It’s mind-boggling to think of the opportunities they have and they’re wasting their youth and, once you pull the trigger or use a knife or something, that’s the end, my friend,” she said. “You’re not coming back. You can’t say ‘Oh, I didn’t mean to do it’ because you’re making a conscious decision if you’re pulling the trigger.”

This story was originally published October 3, 2016 at 7:19 AM with the headline "Man found shot to death in Palmetto."