RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Tonight, a man is behind bars for allegedly shooting and killing a woman as she was driving in Riviera Beach.
Police say shots were fired early Sunday morning along North Canterbury Drive, and neighbors shared photos plus security camera videos with our crews showing the moments following the gunfire.
Suspect arrested in Riviera Beach shooting that killed 31-year-old woman
One photo depicts the white Nissan the victim was driving in a neighbor’s front yard, from where the driver veered off the road and came to a stop after police say she was shot by her passenger.
Riviera Beach police identified the victim as 31-year-old Jessica Morris. A neighbor who says he heard five to six gunshots Sunday morning came outside to see Morris sitting in the front seat of her car.
“Young lady slumped over in the seat, tried to help her as much as we could,” David Latson said.
He explained he rushed to get another neighbor who is an EMT to try and help Morris.
“He tried his best to, you know, put his hand on the wound and stop the bleeding," he said.
But their efforts were not enough. Police said Morris died shortly after arriving at the hospital from two gunshot wounds: one to her right armpit and the other striking her in the chest.
According to an arrest report, investigators used video from nearby surveillance cameras to piece together what happened. Officers say the videos show the suspect, Rodney Sanders Jr., get into Morris’ car before the shooting. The report also states the videos show muzzle flashes within the car with accompanying gunshot sounds, then Sanders getting out of the car, firing more rounds at the vehicle and finally running away.
Riviera Beach
Suspect arrested after woman shot multiple times in her vehicle
Less than an hour after the shooting, police say they detained Sanders on North Military Trail for allegedly pointing a rifle at a man. At the police station, officers found a Kel-Tec PLR-16, 5.556 mm caliber firearm in his possession. Police say the gun was loaded with 22 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber, and investigators noted the 11 spent shell casings found at the crime scene matched the ammunition in the rifle.
Police charged Sanders with one count of premeditated murder, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of openly carrying a prohibited weapon. He is currently being held in the Palm Beach County jail and a judge decided to not grant him bond.
For Latson, the man who called 911 and tried to help Morris, he can’t forget the gruesome scene he saw Sunday.
“It's kind of waking me up a little bit in my sleep," he said. "It's just like something we probably got to, you know, conquer.”
He went on to share his thoughts on the person who chose to shoot Morris and then leave her to die: “Evil, that's all, that's all I can think of. Just evil to leave somebody like that in the car.”
