Manatee Sheriff’s Office said road rage death was justified. Not so fast, sheriff says
Detectives have not determined whether a 26-year-old man acted in self-defense when he shot and killed Zachary Barnett during a road rage incident on April 20, according to Manatee Sheriff Rick Wells.
Wells said Tuesday the case remains under investigation.
On Easter morning, the day after the shooting, the sheriff’s office emailed to local news outlets an updated news release that stated detectives believed the shooting was justifiable as an act of self-defense, based on evidence and information gathered indicating that Barnett had been the aggressor and that the shooter, whose name has not been released, was the victim.
The sheriff, initially unsure why news outlets were reporting the shooting had been ruled as self-defense, conceded the email included incorrect information when read its wording on Tuesday.
“We have made no conclusion,” Wells told the Bradenton Herald.
Barnett was driving eastbound on Buckeye Road near U.S. 301 and the other man was driving when west, when Barnett swerved in and out of his lane, eventually driving the other driver off the road, according to the sheriff’s office. Barnett then pulled over and the other man circled back around, the other man later told deputies.
The two men exchanged words, and the other man says he told Barnett to back away as he armed himself with a pistol. Barnett also allegedly pulled a gun, according to the sheriff’s office
Sheriff’s office spokesman Randy Warren, who issued the news release on April 21, clarified that while the investigation is far from closed, evidence in the case was suggesting that the shooter acted in self-defense when he shot Barnett.
Wells stressed, however, that the shooter’s claims have not been corroborated.
The sheriff’s office has not found any witnesses to the road rage incident or the shooting. It is possible that there were no witnesses, Warren said, given the time of day on the Saturday before Easter holiday and that it happened in a rural area.
“This case is a still active. It is still being investigated. If there is someone that has actual facts, we would love to hear from you,” Wells said. “The investigation began that Saturday night and continues. Misinformation is running rampant and we just need people to understand that this is no way being closed.”
Anyone with any information can call the sheriff’s office at 941-747-3011.
It could be weeks or months before the case is closed.
“Detectives still have a lot of footwork to do,” Wells said.
Detectives are still awaiting an autopsy report from the medical examiner’s office, toxicology reports and other evidence to processed, including both vehicles involved. The sheriff’s office also has both guns involved.
This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 6:07 PM.