BRADENTON, FL – A 29-year-old man walked into a medical lab office, found his ex-girlfriend sitting at her desk, and opened fire with a shotgun at point-blank range, killing her instantly and wounding a co-worker who tried to intervene.
Keith Roberts Jr. now faces first-degree murder and attempted murder charges after the Thursday afternoon attack at the Bradenton facility. He’s being held without bond while awaiting a detention hearing.
The victim, Myshaela Burnham, 29, had recently ended her long-term relationship with Roberts. Police say he knew exactly where to find her that day.
“He walked in an unlocked door and went directly to the desk where the victim was,” Bradenton Police Chief Josh Cramer told reporters. “And directly opened fire at point-blank range with a shotgun multiple times.”
A female co-worker who was nearby when the shooting started suffered multiple gunshot and shotgun blast wounds. She’s currently hospitalized in stable condition but doctors say she’s facing a lengthy recovery ahead.
Roberts had previously worked as a security guard at Manatee Memorial Hospital, giving him familiarity with the area. The relationship between him and Burnham had apparently soured in recent weeks, leading to the split.
After the shooting, Roberts fled the scene in his vehicle. But he didn’t get far. Officers from multiple departments coordinated their response and spotted his car within 25 minutes, heading toward the Desoto Bridge.
The shooting happened just before 1 p.m., sending the medical lab into chaos as workers scrambled for safety. First responders arrived to find Burnham deceased at her workstation.
Investigators are still piecing together the exact sequence of events and whether Roberts made any statements before or during the attack. The case remains under active investigation.
