On March 24, 2024, Bernard “Man Man” Carter III, a 21-year-old African American male from Gainesville, Florida, was fatally shot inside a family member’s apartment at the Lewis Place Apartments, located at 4121 NE 15th St. According to the Gainesville Police Department Carter entered the apartment around 6:50 p.m. and informed relatives that he had been shot. He was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries several days later.
Initially, family members provided misleading accounts to law enforcement, claiming that Carter had been shot elsewhere. However, an anonymous tip and subsequent interviews revealed that a toddler residing in the home had accessed an unsecured handgun, leading to the accidental discharge that struck Carter. Authorities determined that adults present at the time were aware of the true circumstances but chose to conceal the incident, depriving the toddler and two other juvenile witnesses of necessary crisis-related services.
As a result of the investigation, arrest warrants were issued for Carter’s mother, Lawanda Wade, and his brother, Quante Whitaker. Both were charged with tampering with a witness and two counts of child abuse. Additionally, Whitaker faced charges of tampering with evidence and perjury during an official proceeding. Wade was arrested on April 17, 2024, and held on a $30,000 bond, while Whitaker remained at large as of the latest reports.
Bernard Carter III was remembered as a vibrant individual who enjoyed video games, music, and spending time with loved ones. He had earned his high school diploma from A. Quinn Jones School and worked as a floor technician. His untimely death underscored the importance of firearm safety and the need for responsible gun storage to prevent similar tragedies.
