SANFORD, Fla. – A 22-year-old man was shot to death Saturday night in Sanford during a meetup for the sale of a pair of headphones, police said.
The fatal shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. in front of a home on West 3rd Street near Pomegranate Avenue.
Sanford police said Brandon Leo pulled up to a home for the purpose of selling a pair of headphones and was waiting in his pickup truck in the driveway.
According to police, at least two unknown individuals approached the driver’s side of the pickup, and Leo put the vehicle in reverse and started backing out of the driveway. Several gunshots were fired and the pickup crashed into a retention pond, where it was located by Sanford officers who were called to the scene after shots were fired, officials said.
Police said Leo was found dead in the partially submerged pickup, with an apparent gunshot wound.
Investigators are asking for any information about the culprits.
“A family is grieving the loss of their son over a pair of headphones,” Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith said. “Senseless doesn’t begin to describe this tragedy. Our investigators have been working diligently to locate these two individuals who clearly have no regard for the value of a human life.”
Dauntaye Alderman, who lives in the neighborhood where the shooting happened, describes what he heard on Saturday evening.
“I was just standing there enjoying myself, then all of a sudden, I hear one shot, then I hear dozens more ring out after that,” Alderman said.
Alderman told News that he sells items on Facebook Marketplace and said he makes sure he screens who he sells items to.
“You need to make sure come with people and make sure you have a buddy system or anything like that because that’s a prime example like going alone and not having safety in numbers in everything it can possibly end your life,” Alderman said. ““It’s actually sad to lose your life over a pair of headphones.”
Anyone with information about Leo’s death is asked to call the Sanford Police Department or Crimeline at 800 423-TIPS or visit crimeline.org. Calls made to Crimeline remain anonymous, and tips to Crimeline that lead to solving homicide cases are eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000.
SAFE-EXCHANGE ZONES IN SEMINOLE COUNTY
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office offers designated “safe” locations when making an online exchange or sale. The parking spaces are marked by “Safe Exchange Zone” signs and are located in front of the SCSO main and regional office buildings at:
- 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 at ️100 Eslinger Way in Sanford
- 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗢𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗱𝗼 / 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗮 / 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 / 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀) at️ 1225 East Broadway in Oviedo
- 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗔𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀) at ️120 West Pineview Street in Altamonte Springs
- 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 / 𝗟𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘆 / 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱) at ️805 Primera Blvd. in Lake Mary, FL 32746
The same locations are also “safe zones” during child custody exchanges, part of a new Florida law that went into effect July 1.