Bradenton police seek 'armed, dangerous' suspect in fatal shooting of Palmetto teen

BRADENTON -- Bradenton police are looking for a teenager detectives say shot and killed a Palmetto High School student early Monday.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant Tuesday for Jamari Lamon Murray-Barnes, 17, of Palmetto, on a first-degree murder charge, according to the news release.

About 12:27 a.m., police responding to the 1200 block of 21th Street East in Bradenton to reports of gunfire found Justin Fabien, 16, lying on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds to his upper body.

At 12:51 a.m., despite efforts by police and paramedics to perform CPR, Fabien was declared dead outside the home where he was shot. Fabien did not live at the address where he was found.

Police, who did not reveal a possible motive for the killing, said Murray-Barnes should be considered armed and dangerous.

At the time of the shooting, Murray-Barnes was out on bonds totaling $30,120 on charges of armed robbery with a firearm, resisting arrest and trespassing. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges in that case, according to court records.

Murray-Barnes is facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted on those charges.

At the time of his arrest in February, he was a student at Horizon's Academy High School, an alternative school.

The Manatee County School District was unable to confirm Tuesday afternoon whether he was still a student in the district.

Court records detail the charges against Murray-Barnes and two co-defendants in the earlier case.

At 7:45 p.m. Feb. 7, Bradenton police responded to Manatee Memorial Hospital where doctors were treating a juvenile victim of an armed robbery.

The victim told police he was walking along 19th Street Court East in Bradenton when approached by a black, four-door sedan. Two assailants got out of the car and pointed guns at him, police said.

The victim's pockets were emptied of his cellphone, keys and Starburst candy. Before the suspects left, the victim was pistol-whipped.

An investigation identified Murray-Barnes as a suspect and the victim identified him in a photo lineup, police said.

Anyone with information on Murray-Barnes' whereabouts can call Bradenton Police Department detective James Curulla at 941-747-3011, ext. 2224.

Or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000, call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-634-8477 or submit an e-tip online at manateecrimestoppers.com.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Bradenton police seek 'armed, dangerous' suspect in fatal shooting of Palmetto teen."