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3 teens arrested in shootout that killed 15-year-old during botched robbery in Bradenton

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Published  September 11, 2025 9:34am EDT
Bradenton
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • Bradenton police say three teens – ages 15, 17, and 18 – face murder charges after a shootout led to 15-year-old Kayvon Dunbar's death.
    • Investigators say Dunbar, along with the three murder suspects, planned to rob a drug dealer, leading to gunfire on Aug. 25.
    • The drug dealer opened fire in self-defense, according to police, killing Dunbar.

BRADENTON, Fla. - More than two weeks after a 15-year-old boy's shooting death in Bradenton, police say they've arrested three teens in the case.

The backstory:

According to the Bradenton Police Department, officers found Kayvon Dunbar shot to death in the 400 block of 11th Ave. E on the night of Aug. 25.

Courtesy: Bradenton Police Department.

Courtesy: Bradenton Police Department.

Police say Dunbar – along with 18-year-old Jeremiah Lilly, 17-year-old Zyquan Kit, and 15-year-old Star Stewart – planned to rob Kit's drug dealer and tried to distract him.

Investigators say the man noticed Dunbar, Stewart, and Lilly approaching him while wearing masks and carrying two guns.

The dealer opened fire in self-defense, according to police, and one suspect returned fire, killing Dunbar.

BPD says Lilly, Kit, and Stewart face felony murder charges because they were in the act of committing a felony at the time Dunbar was killed.

What's next:

It will be up to the State Attorney's Office to decide whether to charge the two juvenile suspects as adults.

The Source: This story was written with information provided by the Bradenton Police Department.

BradentonCrime and Public Safety