A quiet Wednesday afternoon in Ocala turned deadly in what police described as a “random act of violence” after a 64-year-old man was shot and killed in his own front yard.
Ocala Police arrested 29-year-old Isaac Ezekiel Toye in connection with the shooting death of Harold Whitt Harper, bringing a swift but somber end to a chaotic sequence of events that began shortly after 3:30 p.m.
The incident began in the 900 block of SE 3rd Street with a frightening encounter involving a local resident. Police said a 911 caller reported trying to back out of his driveway when a man dressed entirely in black approached him.
The man motioned for the driver to stop, but as the resident continued to pull away, he saw the stranger appear to rack the slide of a pistol.
Officers were already responding to the report of a suspicious person when a second 911 call came in moments later, reporting a shooting just one block east.
When officers arrived, they found Harper in the front yard of his home suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite emergency medical efforts, the 64-year-old died from his injuries.
As some officers assisted the victim, the first officer on scene spotted a man matching the earlier description walking along SE 11th Avenue, about two blocks south of where Harper was found. That man was identified as Toye, who was detained and found to be carrying a pistol.
Investigators said witness statements and physical evidence connect Toye to both the initial confrontation and the fatal shooting. He has been charged with homicide and two counts of aggravated assault.
“This horrific event appears to be a random act of violence,” the Ocala Police Department said in a statement. “There is no indication this was a targeted attack or that there are additional suspects.”
Authorities said there is no ongoing threat to the community and thanked residents for quickly providing information to officers.
“Our hearts go out to the Harper family during this difficult time,” the department said.