Inset: Isaac Toye (Marion County Jail). Background: Police in Ocala, Florida, investigate after Toye allegedly shot a man to death (WCJB).
In Florida, a man reportedly approached another individual tending his garden and fatally shot him in the back of the head, an act authorities are classifying as a “random act of violence.”
Isaac Toye, aged 29, faces charges of second-degree murder following the death of 64-year-old Harold Whitt Harper in Ocala, according to local police reports. The initial alert to police came around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, citing a suspicious individual in the vicinity of the 900 block of SE 3rd Street. A witness reported seeing a man attempting to flag him down before noticing the man was handling a firearm.
While officers were en route, a subsequent emergency call reported a shooting nearby. Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered Harper lying in the front yard. Paramedics were on the scene but sadly pronounced him dead.
Toye was apprehended by police not far from where the incident occurred.
Harper’s family shared with detectives that he was passionate about gardening but had been unable to pursue it recently due to neck surgery. That Wednesday marked one of the first times he felt well enough to go outside, and he spent the day pulling weeds. Meanwhile, his wife was busy unloading groceries after a trip to the store. Harper’s son-in-law, who had noticed Toye walking in the area, had been observing him. Shortly thereafter, a gunshot shattered the afternoon peace.
Family members rushed to the scene, discovering Harper’s lifeless body. A neighbor recounted hearing Harper’s wife scream in despair, “My husband’s dead,” as detailed in the affidavit.
Detectives have been unable to establish any ties between Harper and Toye. Cops believe it was a “random act of violence.”
Mayor Ben Marciano said his heart goes out to the family of the victim.
“We are going to be working very hard to make sure justice is served,” he said.
Marciano also credited the person who initially called cops when seeing Toye with a gun.
“It was someone’s quick thinking and call to the police that helped capture the murder suspect within moments,” he said.
Neighbor Joan Zoeller told local ABC affiliate WCJB that Harper was well known for gardening.
“He is a wonderful neighbor,” she said. “His passion was gardening, and that’s what he loved to do. He kept his yard well-groomed all the time, and he loved the outdoors. Just a very, very nice man. Always says hello to anybody.”
