Harley Van Leer dies in fatal Newberry shooting
Fatal Newberry shooting death of Harley Van Leer – Obituary
Harley Van Leer, 44, lost his life after being shot in Newberry, Florida, on Sunday morning. According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 11:45 a.m. to the 25700 block of Northwest 7th Place in response to a shooting report.
When they arrived, deputies found Van Leer suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Authorities detained 19-year-old David Dwayne Martin Jr. at the scene after he admitted to being the person who fired the shot. He was taken in for questioning at the sheriff’s office.
In his statement to investigators, Martin described the weapon as a 9mm Glock 19 Gen5 equipped with a laser and strobe light, along with a 17-round extended magazine. He said the gun was initially hidden in a backpack before he moved it to his pocket shortly before the incident.
Martin claimed he ran to Triangle Park on Northwest 260th Street following the shooting and handed the gun to someone there. A witness later told deputies they saw someone matching Martin’s description place something into a grill near their home. Investigators searched the grill and recovered a handgun matching Martin’s earlier description.
At another point during the interview, Martin claimed he gave the firearm to a friend described as a tall white male with long hair. When asked about the conflicting stories, Martin ended the interview by requesting a lawyer.
He now faces charges for carrying a concealed firearm and tampering with evidence. Investigators said Martin does not have a local criminal history. His bail was set at $500,000 by Judge Luis Bustamante. The case remains under investigation.
