The Gulfport Police Department is searching for a suspect after an early morning homicide in Gulfport.



Authorities responded to a home in the 1400 block of 52nd Street South after a 2 a.m. call about a shooting.



Police have identified the victim as 41-year-old Michael Dayton, who did not live at the home. Dayton was rushed to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, where he later died. Officials said some type of altercation took place outside the home and shots were fired.



"It was pop pop pop," said one neighbor describing the shots fired.



"It sounded like firecrackers going, I heard seven to eight shots," said another neighbor.



The overnight shooting started as an argument that Michael Gauthier overheard while at home. He says he heard yelling followed by a round of shots then a plea for help.



"I heard I’m dying," Gauthier said. "I’ve been shot and saw this man laying behind that green car over there."



Deborah Ray says the shooting was too close for comfort after finding a shell case in her front yard.



"Those bullets could have come into my bedroom," Ray said. "I’m very shaken up this morning, I really am."



Police are still looking for the suspect and the motive behind why would an argument turn deadly in relatively quiet neighborhood.

