Food delivery drivers, restaurants react to death of delivery man

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla.  — Port St. Lucie police continue to investigate a shooting that left a food delivery driver dead late Wednesday.

DoorDash delivery driver Kevin Evans said deliveries can run well into the night, and often the drivers are alone, but there are safeguards in place to try to prevent any harm from drivers.

Many delivery drivers in Port St. Lucie are now thinking about the shooting as the victim was making a food delivery under his wife’s DoorDash account.

“Prayers go out to the family,” said Evans. “You hate to see anything like that happen.”

Home security footage near the shooting scene shows the delivery man dropping off food outside a home near Jaycee Park before 11 p.m. Wednesday night.

WATCH: Home security video shows man dropping off food delivery moments before fatal shooting

Home security video shows man dropping off food delivery moments before fatal shooting in Port St. Lucie

Moments later, shots rang out.

“You never know what’s in people’s heart,” said Evans. “That’s the good and bad thing about life.”

Evans said full-time drivers can deliver 30 or more orders in a day, and when it comes to safety, it’s up to the drivers to pick where they deliver.

“A lot of the times I’ll go into the Stuart, Palm City area, a lot of gated communities,” said Evans. “Typically, you’re not going to have a lot of crime in those communities.”

Apps like DoorDash have safety features. If a driver ever feels unsafe, they can hit an emergency button on their app that will connect them with an ADT agent who can stay on the line and call 911.

“They say it’s still a safe space, but things like that don’t normally happen around here, so it was very shocking on all ends,” said Natalie Manfredi, the owner of Pappa Louie’s Restaurant.

Mom-and-pop stores like Pappa Louie’s Restaurant have been in Port St Lucie for more than 30 years and, with the growth in population, they’ve also seen more crime.

“Family is what makes us run. My sister, my mom, works here as well,” said Manifred. “We’re all a team. We work together and family and safety come first.”

Staff said they have their own team of drivers but also use apps like DoorDash to help with the added demand.

“I would tell them to immediately leave the situation,” said Manifred. “If the police need to be called, call 911 immediately, then obviously give us a call. But I would never want anyone to be in a situation that they’re not conformable in.”

Port St. Lucie police are still looking for the person or persons who killed the delivery driver.

The victim has been identified, but police said the family chose not to publicly release the name.