'A kind, beautiful person is just gone': Loved ones mourn road rage shooting victim as police make arrest

ST. PETERSBUG, Fla. - A suspect in a deadly road rage encounter in St. Petersburg has been arrested in Hillsborough County, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

The shooting happened early Tuesday morning in downtown St. Petersburg’s Edge District, on Central Avenue. Investigators said at the time they knew who the shooter was but did not reveal his identity.

Friday, deputies in Hillsborough County made an arrest, but the victim’s family says questions remain about exactly what happened and who is responsible.

The victim’s girlfriend was by his side when he was killed. Kaitlyn Benson told FOX 13 News that Shane Boyd’s death was senseless and horrific, but she wants others to know Shane was the light in her life and to those who knew him.

Kaitlyn and Shane on vacation (provided photo)

Benson says that she and Shane’s family is not happy with the charge that the suspect was arrested on. 

Shane Boyd was an adventurer who treasured time with his loved ones. Benson says the 26-year-old loved to create things for their four pets and for their home. 

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"Always wanting to fix things, work on cars. He built a lot of the furniture that’s in our home. He was a woodworker," she said.

Shane and Kaitlyn were together for four years, building a life in St. Pete. But those plans got cut short when Shane was shot and killed this week. 

Shane and Kaitlyn (provided photo)

Kaitlyn did not wish to show her face, where she wears her, but she wanted to share her love for Shane.

"A kind, beautiful person is just gone. It’s just unbearable to think about," Benson said.

St. Pete police say the couple was on Central Avenue early Tuesday morning when their car was almost hit as someone else backed out of a parking space. 

Detectives say an argument happened, someone shot Shane, and then took off. 

Police say they tracked that person down and arrested 48-year-old Donovan Elmalik Gamel Shabazz Thursday in Tampa.

Donovan Elmalik Gamel Shabazz (St. Pete PD)

"I was relieved that the person responsible for killing Shane was found so fast and put behind bars. That’s how I felt about him being arrested," Kaitlyn said.

Shabazz is charged with having a gun as a felon. St. Petersburg Police Department's assistant chief says underlying factors prevent them from filing a charge of murder or manslaughter in this case. 

Kaitlyn says she doesn’t feel that reflects the justice Shane deserves.

"It’s been agony experiencing what I experienced. It’s been agony seeing his family in so much pain. It’s been agony telling his friends that he’s gone," Kaitlyn said.

Now she and Shane’s family are holding each other close and keeping their memories of Shane locked tight in their hearts.

"He was my happy ending, you know. That was supposed to be my husband," Kaitlyn said. "And he just got stolen from me, stolen from his family.

SPPD said witnesses provided investigators with statements, but anyone else who has information about the case is asked to call the St. Petersburg Police Department at 727-893-7780. Anonymous messages can be sent to detectives by texting the letters SPPD and your tip to TIP411.