BRADENTON – A Manatee High School wrestler and employee of the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant in Bradenton Beach was tragically killed in a March 8 shooting in Bradenton.
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office’s (MCSO) Public Information Officer Randy Warren said a suspect in the shooting has been arrested. The victim, Jann Michael Feeney, 17, known to friends and family as J.M., was said by friends and family to be a talented athlete with a great level of sportsmanship and a hard worker loved by his Beach House co-workers and many friends.
Shortly after 7 p.m. on March 8, MCSO deputies responded to a report of a shooting with injuries. When they arrived they found a 17-year-old male lying in the backyard of a residence with a gunshot wound to his chest. Deputies performed life-saving measures until EMS responded. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Witnesses told detectives multiple teenagers were hanging out in the backyard of a residence in the 5900 block of Eighth Avenue Drive West, Bradenton,” Warren said. “Through investigative means, detectives developed probable cause early the morning of March 9 to arrest Carter Layne, 17, for Manslaughter with a Firearm. He was taken into custody at his home in Parrish.”
Warren also said the investigation continues, and his department believes there are more individuals who were at the scene and may have information that will help paint the picture of exactly what happened. MCSO is currently working to speak with those individuals. According to Warren, alcohol was present at the party.
“This is exactly why guns can’t be in these types of situations,” Warren said. “This is a tragic case of a loss of life that could have been prevented, and our hope is to not see it happen again.”
The Beach House set up a GoFundMe page for the Feeney family with a goal of $12,500. As of the time this story was written, they had raised more than $30,000.
A celebration of life was held at The Center of Anna Maria Island on March 16, where friends and family gathered to remember the young man who was taken from them too soon. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Feeney family can visit https://gofund.me/bdac2632.
Warren also said the investigation continues, and his department believes there are more individuals that were at the scene and may have information that will help paint the picture of exactly what happened. MCSO is currently working to speak with those individuals. According to Warren, alcohol was present at the party.
“This is exactly why guns can’t be in these types of situations,” Warren said. “This is a tragic case of a loss of life that could have been prevented, and our hope is to not see it happen again.”
The Beach House set up a GoFundMe page for the Feeney family with a goal of $12,500 goal. As of the time this story was written, they had raised more than $30,000. There was also a celebration of life held at the Center of Anna Maria Island March 16, where friends and family gathered to remember the young man who was taken from them for too soon. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Feeney family can go to https://gofund.me/bdac2632.
