Shooter Sentenced to Life in Prison for Bradenton Nightclub Murder

BRADENTON — After five years on the run, Demetrius Gabriel was convicted of first-degree murder for a 2017 shooting at Spot 26 nightclub off Cortez Rd. in Bradenton. The trial was held at the Manatee County Courthouse March 24-26. He was sentenced to Life in prison without parole.

For reasons that are still unknown, the defendant waited near the front door for the victim to enter. He stood near the front door, watching for some time, and when the victim started to enter, he drew a gun from his waistband, walked up to the victim, and shot him in the face. After the victim fell to the floor, the defendant walked calmly out of the club, still holding the murder weapon.

Most of the incident was captured on surveillance video, but the identity of the shooter was still unknown. Ultimately, police were able to identify a possible suspect but needed to confirm his identity through fingerprints that Gabriel left on a cup he was drinking from at the bar. An arrest warrant was issued, but the defendant remained on the run for nearly 5 years while using another identity.

Gabriel was ultimately found after he was arrested in Miami on unrelated charges for using this false identity. The defendant was released from Federal prison less than 2 years before this shooting and was still on probation at the time.