Fort Pierce - Monday July 29, 2024: A person holding a taser was shot and killed after Fort Pierce Police Officers opened fire on him near daybreak on Sunday morning during an alleged robbery-in-progress.
It happened at 1166 Bayshore Drive in the Colonnades Condo Complex out on Hutchinson Island. An updated Monday news release from Fort Pierce police identifies the victim as 62-year-old David Taylor.
It is not yet clear if Taylor was a suspect, or the resident, or why he was inside the residence holding a taser. However, the release reveals that another person was "inside the residence at the time of the incident," but that person's name has not been released and what role that other person played in this incident has not yet been revealed.
It began with a 911 call to the Fort Pierce Police Department (FPPD) about 6 AM Sunday morning reporting that an armed robbery was in progress at the Bayshore Drive address. According to a police news release, the caller said an armed robbery-in-progress was underway by a man carrying a 9 MM handgun. Three officers responded.
When the officers arrived at the scene, they noticed that the door to the residence was ajar. They pushed the door open and entered. It is not clear if all three officers entered the residence.
Once inside, the officers who entered reportedly called out police warnings advising that they had arrived and ordering anyone inside to identify themselves and come forward.
After several warnings a man, later identified as Taylor, appeared within the sight of the officers. The Sunday the police news release stated that the man "pointed a weapon at the officers," and the officers were "forced to fire their weapons."
The updated news release issued Monday again states that the officers were "forced to fire their weapons." However, it goes on to admit that the ongoing investigation has now revealed that the weapon described in the 911 call as a 9 MM handgun,"was in fact a taser." The release states that the taser that was "pointed at the officers," matched "the description of the weapon," alleged in the 911 call.
In addition to striking and killing Taylor, one of the officers fired a bullet at the alleged suspect that ended up in the arm of one of the other officers. That officer was treated for a non-life-threatening injury and has been released.
The names of the officers involved have not been released.
As with all cases involving Police shootings, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the lead independent investigating agency. Pursuant to standard operating procedures, the two officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave while the case is investigated.
Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Fort Pierce Police Department at:772-467-6943.