911 dialed from Bradenton drug store after man was shot. Suspect remains at large

A 33-year-old man was shot in the parking lot of a Ramada Inn in south Manatee County on Monday, according to Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and a suspect remains at large.

The shooting happened around 2:40 p.m. Detective say that the wounded man and two friends drove to the Ramada Inn, 7150 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota — where they planned to meet up with another friend.

But after they pulled into the hotel lot, an unknown suspect exited a Crown Victoria, approached the 33-year-old’s pickup truck and demanded that he roll down his window. When he complied, the suspect pulled out a firearm and shot him once, according to the sheriff’s office.

The injured man fled the lot in his truck and drove more than a mile up U.S. 41 before pulling into the parking lot of a CVS drug store at 6204 14th St. W., Bradenton, where someone dialed 911.

The sheriff’s office and Manatee County EMS responded to the CVS location shortly before 3 p.m., where a crime scene was later established around the shooting victim’s pickup truck.

The man was transported to Blake Medical Center for care and is expected to recover from his injuries, according to the sheriff’s office. His identity was not made public.

Deputies are still searching for the suspect, who is described as a heavy-set male in his late 30s. He was driving a dark Crown Victoria sedan that resembled a police car. Detectives say they don’t believe the violence was random.

Anyone with information can contact the sheriff’s office at 941-747-3011 or Manatee County Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS.

This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 4:18 PM.