A Black FedEx driver says a routine package pickup in Tallahassee, Florida, turned violent when a business owner allegedly attacked him, threatened to shoot him in the face, and tried to wrestle a shipping case from his hands.
LeRoy C. Vann shared videos of the incident, including footage recorded by a bystander, showing a confrontation outside a business on Orange Avenue. Vann said he arrived to pick up a heavy package outside of his usual route while wearing his FedEx uniform.
According to his account, the package was heavy, and the wheels on the transport dolly were not working, so he lifted the package and carried it to his truck himself. After he scanned it into FedEx’s system, the business owner took issue with how he handled it.
Vann said the man followed him outside, headbutted him, and repeatedly tried to take the case from his hands. He also recalled the man demanding, “What’s your f—king name?”
Vann said the man’s behavior confused him because he had neither argued with the man nor treated him disrespectfully. He explained that the case was heavy and that he was trying to complete the pickup and return to his delivery route.
According to Vann, the man approached him as he carried the scanned case toward his truck. Vann said the man headbutted him twice and continued grabbing at the package, leaving him concerned that FedEx might question why he had scanned an item he could no longer deliver.
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The man stated that he didn’t want to let Vann leave the property with an “expensive piece of equipment,” although he was the delivery driver scheduled to pick it up.
The encounter escalated further when the man threatened to get a gun.
“I’m gonna get my f**king pistol and shoot you in your f**king face,” The man can be heard saying in one of the videos of the incident. In the clip of the altercation, Vann pointed out that the man had a holstered gun on his hip.
People driving by during the confrontation reportedly began urging the man to get off Vann, and some passersby began recording the incident.
In the recorded exchange, Vann confronts the man about the threat, saying, “That’s why you had to threaten with a gun.” The man responds, “Yup.”
Vann said a woman who witnessed the encounter pulled over, turned on her hazard lights, and began recording. He credited her with documenting what happened and later speaking to police.
In the videos of the confrontation, Vann told the man assaulting him, “I don’t work for you.” The man assaulting Vann can be heard saying, “You do motherf—king work for me. When I call FedEx, you work for me.”
In another moment, Vann points out that the man approached him and began acting aggressively without provocation. He responds, “You better keep your mouth shut…you’re a piece of s—t…you want an a–s whooping really bad? You got a f—king death wish.”
The struggle left cuts on his ankle and thigh from the shipping case. Vann said officers, including a K-9 unit, eventually arrived and found the man on top of him.
The woman told officers she had seen the assault, Vann said. He told police he wanted to press charges, but he said officers told him they needed to investigate before taking further action.
Vann questioned why the presence of a witness and the injuries he described did not result in an immediate arrest.
“If that was me doing that to him, I would have been in handcuffs,” Vann said in his video.
He questioned how police would have responded if the situation had involved a domestic violence allegation and similar visible injuries.
An officer later offered an explanation for the confrontation that left him frustrated.
The officer allegedly told him the business owner “just didn’t like the way you picked up the case.”
Vann rejected that explanation, saying he had simply lifted the package and carried it out of the establishment after scanning it into the system.
The videos have sparked online debate over the alleged assault, the reported threat, and the police response. Questions remain about the confrontation and how authorities have handled Vann’s complaint.
One user commented, “Wow! I am floored seeing this! For this person to feel compelled to degrade you, try to intimidate and assault you speaks volumes. wish?!!!? This individual is a ticking time bomb and needs to be held accountable. This could’ve easily been a disaster, brother, and I’m glad you stood your ground and remained professional.”
Another added, “This is the true definition of power, bro. You showed unimaginable restraint. Please sue and press charges against him. That’s a must to this. Not many of us live through these moments.”
After the video gained attention online, Vann responded to commenters who questioned why he did not simply let the business owner keep the package. He argued that the situation could have ended peacefully if the man had communicated his concerns before Vann left the building.
“So, if you want something, just use your words, and this could have been avoided,” Vann wrote.
Vann also criticized an officer’s alleged suggestion that he must have provoked the confrontation, recalling that one officer asked, “WHAT DID YOU DO TO MAKE HIM SO ANGRY?” before suggesting he must have said or done something to trigger the man.
Vann said he contacted the police on two consecutive days to follow up on the case, but his report was still not ready.
However, the man involved in the confrontation has been identified in online reports as Travis Wade Sparkman, who is listed in Florida public records as the owner of T Spark Enterprises LLC, a roofing and construction company based in Tallahassee. Sparkman’s LinkedIn also lists him as a former Leon County Sheriff’s Office deputy.
During the confrontation, the man reportedly claimed to be an “off-duty” deputy.
Police have not publicly confirmed Sparkman’s identity in connection with the incident. However, Vann pinned a comment beneath his original video identifying Sparkman and his company.
Atlanta Black Star reached out to FedEx for comment and has not received a response at the time of publication.
