Florida Teen, 17, Charged with Murder After Allegedly Shooting Lyft Driver During Memorial Day Weekend

A Florida teenager has been arrested after allegedly fatally shooting a rideshare driver.

At around 2:24 a.m. local time on Saturday, May 24, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) responded to a report of a shooting on Wildwood Road and Emerald Cove Street in Panama City Beach, authorities said in a news release shared on Facebook.

Upon arrival, deputies found a victim with a gunshot wound on the road, and their vehicle located roughly 100 yards north of them. The victim, who police believe was working as a Lyft driver, succumbed to the injury after being transported to a local hospital, per the news release. Their name has not been released.

Brayden Raul Gomez, 17, was later located on Dorothy Avenue and identified as the suspect. Authorities believe the victim was driving the Bay County teen to his requested location before the shooting, according to the BCSO.

In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Lyft said, “Our hearts are with [the victim’s] family and loved ones in the midst of this terrible tragedy.”

“We have reached out to offer support to them during this difficult time and are assisting law enforcement in their ongoing investigation,” they added. “The rider has been permanently removed from the Lyft community.”

Following the discovery of the victim and their vehicle, deputies were joined by BCSO Criminal Investigations, as the Crime Scene unit processed the scene and discovered blood and bullet holes in the car.

Wildwood Road remained closed overnight during processing but has since reopened.

A witness alleged that the suspect was “firing as he fled” the scene, and that he had scaled a fence before entering the neighborhood of Woodlawn, according to the BCSO news release.

Gomez has since been charged with an Open Count of Murder and taken to the Bay County Jail.

The BCSO did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for further information on Sunday, May 25.

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One Facebook user, who commented under the BCSO’s arrest announcement, alleged that they were familiar with the driver of the vehicle. “I knew the victim and yes this is devastating,” they wrote.

The social media commenter added, “He was a good man and loved by his family and friends. Til we see you again in heaven. RIP Prayers for His family.😢💔🙏🏻.”

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Another Facebook user, who claimed to be a Lyft driver in the area, wrote that they too had completed “pick-ups and drop-offs in that neighborhood” and have “felt safe with” each of their riders.

“Unfortunately, underage riders are common and rides are often requested via accounts of people they know,” they wrote. “Lyft tells us that we can terminate a ride if a rider is under age and alone, but where does that leave that kid… The driver was likely just trying to make money because of the holiday weekend.”

The shooting comes over a month after a 15-year-old in North Carolina was arrested and charged with fatally shooting a Lyft driver in October 2024, ABC News reported.

Another 15-year-old boy was arrested and charged in Washington, D.C., in connection with the death of a Lyft driver a year before. The teen was sentenced to three years in prison, per WUSA 9.