A man showed up at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his lower leg early Saturday, hours after Sarasota County deputies responded to a shooting near the south bridge of Siesta Key. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office says the shooting happened at 12:44 a.m. in the 6000 block of Gateway Avenue, and investigators determined the wounded man was in the area when it occurred.
According to mysuncoast.com, the man checked himself into the hospital just before 3:00 a.m. with the gunshot wound to his lower leg. Tampa Bay 28 reports he arrived at 2:58 a.m. with a wound to his lower right leg, and that Sarasota County detectives are investigating the shooting in the 6000 block of Gateway Avenue. A sheriff’s office lieutenant said there is no threat to public safety, a point the agency has reiterated as the investigation continues.
What Investigators Have Confirmed So Far
The sheriff’s office has not released the man’s name, age, or hometown, and it has not said whether he was the intended target of the gunfire, a bystander, or otherwise connected to whatever set off the shooting. No suspect description, arrest, or motive has been made public. The Criminal Investigation Section is continuing to look into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, per the outlet’s report.
The Gateway Avenue address sits right off the south bridge connecting the mainland to Siesta Key, a stretch of road that sees steady traffic from the barrier island’s beachgoers and residents alike. Deputies have not detailed how the shooting unfolded or what led up to it, and the man’s condition and treatment at the hospital have not been disclosed.
How to Reach Investigators
Anyone with information is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Section at (941) 861-4900 or reach out through Sarasota Crime Stoppers online. Tips can also be shared with Crime Stoppers at 941-366-TIPS (8477), the standard anonymous line for callers who don’t want to go through the sheriff’s office directly.
The incident comes amid a broader conversation about crime trends in the area. A separate report from mysuncoast.com indicated Sarasota police reported an 18% drop in overall crime in 2025, following similar declines the two years prior, though that figure reflects citywide crime statistics generally rather than shootings specifically and isn’t a direct measure of incidents like the one on Gateway Avenue.
This is at least the second Sarasota County shooting to draw attention this month. The Herald-Tribune reported earlier this month that a Sarasota man faced five attempted-murder counts after deputies said he fired at them outside his home following a parking-lot shooting. No connection between that case and the Gateway Avenue shooting has been reported.
