Man accused of killing Tampa nursing student says he made a mistake: 'I heard 3 shots and I started shooting'
TAMPA, Fla. - A man accused of gunning down a Tampa nursing student while she sat in a car with her sister in December 2021 took the stand in his own defense on Thursday afternoon.
Vakarvery Scott is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
He told the jury he didn’t mean to kill nursing student Savannah Mathis. It was a mistake. He was trying to shoot the bad guys.
"People in the neighborhood said there were three people with masks in the backseat of the vehicle," explained Scott.
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Scott, whose promising football career ended when he was struck by a bullet during a drive-by shooting, says he was scared bullets were going to fly again, especially when he saw Mathis’ car circle the neighborhood three times with the headlights off.
Savannah Mathis was known for her good grades and dreams of becoming a nurse.
"I heard three shots, and I started shooting," Scott stated.
But there were no bad guys in the car. Instead, he killed Savannah Mathis and injured her sister in a case of mistaken identity.
Prosecutors say on December 1, 2021, Nena Mathis and her sister drove to the Oakhurst apartments in Tampa.
Nena Mathis testified earlier this week, she was checking on her ex-boyfriend and circled the neighborhood a few times. The next thing she remembers is her sister screaming, followed by a barrage of gunshots.
Nena Mathis testifies in court about what happened the night her sister was shot to death.
"I saw Savannah’s head tilt to the side and blood was coming out of her mouth," Nena Mathis recalled.
Savannah Mathis was shot in the head and died of her injuries. Nena Mathis was shot in the right leg and took months to recover.
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Scott explained that after being shot a year earlier, he now suffers from paranoia.
Vakarvery Scott took the stand in his own defense on Thursday.
However, during cross-examination, prosecutors pushed back on that, challenging him on why he would visit a home that had been a target of multiple shootings.
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Scott had no answer on the stand.
Prosecutors also replayed surveillance video and asked Scott to point to the moment he heard gunshots before he began firing, but Scott couldn’t really provide a definite answer on the stand.
The jury heard closing arguments this afternoon and is expected to begin deliberating Friday morning.
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