Man shot to death while driving his car in Bradenton. We now know who he was

Investigators have identified the man shot and killed while driving in Bradenton late Saturday night just a mile and a half from his home.

Breyon Pittman, 22, was found dead in the driver’s seat of a crashed vehicle in front of a residence in the 2600 block of 17th Street East in Bradenton on Saturday night, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigators have not released a possible motive for the killing, but Pittman in 2014 was arrested on drug-related charges that were later dropped.

Witnesses called 911 to report hearing multiple gunshots and seeing a car crash into a ditch on 17th Street East around 9 p.m. Saturday, sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren said Sunday. The witnesses also told deputies they saw someone in a white shirt get out of the passenger side of the vehicle and run away.

Deputies searched the area but were not able to find anyone.

The investigation is ongoing. In a news release Monday, Warren said detectives are “following leads.”

Pittman was known to law enforcement. His most recent arrest locally was in October 2014, when Pittman and two others were arrested in a drug bust by Bradenton police. Pittman was charged with possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana but the case against him was later dropped by the state attorney’s office.

On Monday afternoon, his grandmother, Francine Hewitt, said she didn’t understand who would kill him because he was so kind.

“It’s hard to believe,” Hewitt said. “It’s a shame these young people can’t find anything better to do than pick up a gun.”

Hewitt recalled how she used to tell the children in her family that she didn’t want to see them standing on the street corner unless they were going to cross the street, or they were waiting on the bus to get to work. But now she can’t get out as much she says to keep an eye on them

Pittman would always come check on her, she said, and had come to visit her less than a week ago.

“I thank God for the time I did have with him,” Hewitt said. “I hope he rests in peace.”

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at (941) 747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.

This story was originally published November 19, 2018 at 10:32 AM.