NEWBERRY, Fla. — Alachua County deputies arrested 19-year-old David Martin Jr. Sunday morning in connection with the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Harley Van Leer in a Newberry neighborhood.
According to the arrest report, Martin admitted to shooting Van Leer on Northwest Seventh Place. Van Leer was transported to the hospital but later died from his injuries. Martin told deputies he fled the scene after the shooting and handed the firearm to another individual who hid it.
Deputies confirmed that the shooter and the victim knew each other, and the incident was not a random act of violence. Martin was charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon and tampering with evidence.
While Martin admitted to the shooting, detectives continue to investigate whether the act was unlawful. Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which allows individuals to use deadly force in self-defense, is also being considered in the ongoing investigation.
