Bernard Carter

Bernard Carter was a 21-year-old Black man from Gainesville, Florida, whose life was cut short by a tragic accident in the spring of 2024.

On the evening of March 24, 2024, at approximately 6:50 p.m., Carter entered a family member's apartment at the Lewis Place Apartments on Northeast 15th Street. He told relatives inside that he had been shot. Carter was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries several days later.

The Gainesville Police Department initially treated the case as a homicide, asking the public for assistance in finding a killer. According to authorities, family members present at the time provided misleading accounts, claiming they did not know how Carter had been shot. For weeks, detectives investigated the case based on this information. The investigation shifted dramatically after police received an anonymous tip and conducted further interviews with those present at the time of the incident.

Investigators then determined that Carter had not been shot by an outside assailant, but was instead accidentally shot inside the home. A toddler living in the residence had gained access to an unsecured handgun, which discharged and struck Carter. Police stated that adults in the apartment knew the truth but chose to cover up the incident and actively misled law enforcement. Authorities also noted that this deception deprived the toddler and two other juveniles who witnessed the shooting of necessary crisis-related services.

Following this discovery, arrest warrants were issued for Carter’s mother, Lawanda Wade, 50, and his brother, Quante Whitaker, 29. Both were charged with tampering with a witness and two counts of child abuse. Whitaker also faced additional charges of tampering with evidence and perjury during an official proceeding. Wade was arrested on the evening of April 17, 2024, and held on a $30,000 bond. Whitaker was arrested on April 20, 2024. As of the latest reports in April 2024, both family members had been taken into custody.