BRADENTON, FL – A sunny afternoon in Bradenton turned grim Thursday when a man burst into an office suite, unleashing a violent attack that left one woman dead and another clinging to life. Authorities say the suspect, identified as Keith Roberts Jr., 29, targeted his former girlfriend, Myshaela Burnham, in a chilling act of premeditated violence.
Shortly before 1 p.m., the calm inside the office building on 4th Avenue shattered. Roberts allegedly entered through an unlocked door, moving purposefully toward Burnham’s desk—not as a visitor, but on a deadly mission. In what police described as a calculated act, he fired at Burnham at close range. According to investigators, he had come prepared—armed not just with a handgun, but also a shotgun.
The violence did not end with Burnham. A colleague seated nearby was struck by the force of the shotgun blast, the proximity so close that her workplace became part of the crime scene. Authorities say Roberts then turned his weapon on the second woman, firing more shots before storming out, leaving chaos and heartbreak in his wake.
Witnesses immediately dialed 911, reporting the horror as well as a fleeing vehicle speeding away from the scene. In what officials called a swift and coordinated response, local police collaborated with deputies from surrounding agencies. Within 25 minutes, officers located and arrested Roberts, bringing an end to the manhunt but not to the suffering left behind.
Burnham, just 29, was pronounced dead at the scene. Her coworker, whose name has not been released, sustained injuries from both shotgun and handgun fire. Emergency crews rushed the wounded woman to the hospital, where surgeons worked to stabilize her. Officials have described her recovery as nothing short of miraculous.
Inside the building, the aftermath spoke to the terror experienced by all present. Though the offices, which sit next to a dental practice, were devoid of patients at the time, the sound of gunfire sent employees scrambling for cover. Investigators noted the psychological toll the attack has taken, not only on the survivors but on everyone who was in or near the building.
Law enforcement officials did not mince words about the severity of the act. They painted Roberts as a man who deliberately planned the assault, impacting not only his victims but also the families now forced to cope with unthinkable loss and trauma. The shockwaves from the shooting have reverberated through the community, leaving many struggling to make sense of the violence.
As detectives piece together a timeline, court records confirm that Roberts faces charges including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder with a firearm. He made his first court appearance on Friday and is scheduled to return to court in the coming week, with an arraignment set for mid-February.
Investigators have not commented on a possible motive beyond the nature of the relationship between Roberts and Burnham. Police continue to gather evidence and statements from those inside the building at the time of the attack.
The case remains under active investigation as Bradenton residents mourn a life cut short and pray for the recovery of a survivor.