Fort Pierce, Florida – A man involved in an exchange of gunfire with Fort Pierce Police Department officers has been identified as Bernard Smith, 28, following a deadly encounter on Saturday. Authorities are now investigating his potential connection to a series of shootings that resulted in two deaths and one individual critically wounded.
During a press conference, Major Michael Santiago described the situation as dynamic, fast-moving, and complex, emphasizing the need to unravel the events that unfolded on that fateful day. The incident began with reports of a shooting near North 24th Street and a stolen vehicle in the vicinity, prompting officers to respond to both incidents simultaneously.
As officers made their way to 24th Street, where the shooting was reported, they encountered Smith, who was allegedly responsible for the gunfire. An exchange of shots between Smith and the officers ensued, resulting in Smith’s death. The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office also joined the response effort, discovering two additional shooting victims who had tragically succumbed to their injuries.
The deceased victims were identified as Roosevelt Benjamin, 59, and Devin Bradley, 24, with Bradley having been an employee in the IT Department of the Fort Pierce Police Department. Meanwhile, the individual injured in the initial 911 call was transported to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital for treatment.
Authorities are currently working to determine if Smith was involved in the shootings that claimed the lives of the two victims and injured another individual. While Smith had a criminal record, the motive behind the shootings remains unclear. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has taken over the investigation into Smith’s death, with the involved officers placed on administrative leave as standard procedure.
The Fort Pierce Police Department is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the shootings of the three victims, seeking to piece together the events that led to the tragic outcome. The community remains on edge as more details emerge about the sequence of events that unfolded on that eventful Saturday morning.