RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A 61-year-old man was fatally shot in a road rage incident on Monday in what authorities described as an “execution-style” attack, leaving his family reeling from the loss. The shooting occurred in broad daylight on U.S. 301 in Riverview, a community near Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, identified as Steven Powers, was driving with his adult grandson when the confrontation unfolded around 2:15 p.m. Investigators say the altercation began when the suspect, Kentavious Gholston, 26, cut off Powers’ work van in a black Mazda. Powers reportedly responded by honking, which led to Gholston allegedly “brake-checking” the van and stopping abruptly in the middle of the road.
“A Sunday afternoon turned into a nightmare that cost a life, leaving a family shattered by this senseless violence,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement on Monday after Gholston was taken into custody.
According to law enforcement officials, Gholston got out of his vehicle and approached the van. Powers, who also exited his vehicle, attempted to throw a punch but missed, prompting Gholston to push him to the ground. Authorities say Gholston then fired four rounds into Powers’ back as he lay on the street.
The incident was described by Chronister as resembling a scene from a Quentin Tarantino film due to its brutality. “As our homicide suspect gets out of the driver’s side of that car, our elderly gentleman throws a punch, misses. He redirects him and pushes him to the ground,” Chronister told reporters on Oct. 28.
Gholston has been charged with second-degree murder with a firearm, aggravated assault with a firearm, and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the shooting. He was arrested and booked into the Hillsborough County Jail, where he remains in custody pending a court appearance.
The sheriff’s office is continuing its investigation into the fatal confrontation, which they say escalated quickly from a brief traffic dispute to a deadly attack. Further details about the case have not yet been released.
