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Manhunt continues for gunman who killed 18-year-old in Stuart

'We’re asking everyone in that area to use extreme caution,' police say
Posted at 10:39 PM, Jul 15, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-16 02:57:04-04

FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The search continues for the gunman who police believe was involved in the shooting death of an 18-year-old man.

"Eighteen-year-olds are barely getting their life together and somebody takes it away," said Melani Greeley.

Stuart police said they got word about a car matching the description of one they were looking for in their investigation.

That led to a crash with a truck along Edwards and McNeil roads in Fort Pierce.

Greely heard a crash, but it's not clear if police were giving chase.

"The car was so crushed I couldn't even tell what kind of car it was," said Greely.

However, no one was arrested.

"And I looked out here, and I saw a guy with no shirt on, red shorts, big pot belly run that way," said Greely.

Greely said that they saw the man come through the bushes, run through their driveway past their pool and then into the brush.

"There were police everywhere. You couldn't go up or down. Nobody could come here. Nobody could come home," said Greely.

Stuart police are in need of answers, as is the family of 18-year-old Devone Delancey who was gunned down Wednesday night in Stuart along Southeast Tenth Street, blocks from the neighborhood community center.

"He was walking, limping and the center of his pants, right here, it was bleeding," said Anthony Wilson who said he's Delancey's cousin. "You can see it was bleeding right there, and he was holding his stomach."

A family is grieving and the larger Treasure Coast community is in shock as the manhunt goes on.

"I hope they catch him, and that's really sad, and I'm so sorry," said Greely. "But they did try, wholeheartedly tried to find him. ... There were helicopters all afternoon all over."

Greely said she's making sure all her doors and windows are locked until they find the suspect.

“At this time, we’re asking everyone in that area to use extreme caution and call the police if they happen to see anything out of the ordinary," police told WPTV.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 800-273-TIPS.