Bradenton man accused of shooting 5 people at bar arrested in Georgia, deputies say

Law enforcement officers in Georgia have arrested a Bradenton man accused of shooting and injuring five people at a Bradenton bar last month, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Ronnie D. Morton III, 23, was arrested by police early Sunday morning at an Amtrak train station in Savannah, Georgia, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Morton caught the attention of detectives when his cell phone started pinging on railroad tracks just north of Jacksonville, the news release said. He was heading from Florida to North Carolina, deputies said.

The Bradenton shooting happened just before 1 a.m. on Nov. 29, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said Morton was arguing with a 25-year-old man when he pulled out a handgun and fired several rounds at him in the parking lot of Absolute Sports Lounge, 5012 15th St. E., Bradenton.

When Morton shot the man, four bystanders were also hit, deputies said. All of the shooting victims were taken to local hospitals and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, deputies said.

Bradenton man charged with felonies after shooting at bar

Detectives later learned that Morton had left Manatee County and was likely headed out of Florida, according to the sheriff’s office.

Detectives are still looking for another man who they said was in a car with Morton when he left the scene.

Morton was charged with five counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, felony possession of a firearm and armed robbery from an outstanding warrant in Manatee County.

He was booked into the Chatham County Jail and will be brought to Manatee County at a later date, deputies said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 941-747-3011 or Crime Stoppers at 866-634-TIPS to make an anonymous tip.

This story was originally published December 9, 2024 at 2:02 PM.