Brevard County

Deputy fatally shot boy, 16, man, 18, in Cocoa neighborhood Friday

COCOA, Fla. — A Brevard County deputy fatally shot a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man in a Cocoa neighborhood Friday morning, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said Monday afternoon.

Channel 9 reported about the shooting Friday, but investigators offered no details about the shooting other than to say it involved a Brevard County deputy and that two people had been taken to a hospital.

The shooting happened at 10:30 a.m. Friday near Stetson Drive South and Ivy Drive.

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Officials said they were investigating an earlier incident in which a vehicle fled from an attempted traffic stop at U.S.1 and State Road 528.

“A vehicle was observed in the area of Stetson Drive and Ivy Drive in Cocoa, where deputies attempted to make contact with the occupants,” said Tod Goodyear, a Sheriff’s Office spokesman. “At that time, a deputy-involved shooting incident occurred.”

Angelo “A.J.” Crooms, 16, and Sincere Pierce, 18, both of Cocoa, were taken to hospitals, where they later died.

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Goodyear did not provide any details about what led up to the shooting.

Cynthia Green, Pierce’s mother, told Channel 9 on Friday that her son had just been picked up by a friend when they were pulled over.

Green said she pulled up in her car to try to intervene.

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A witness told Channel 9 that it appeared the car that Pierce and Crooms were in reversed toward the deputy, who shot them.

Green said she thought they were trying to park the car.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

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The agency provided Channel 9 with the following statement Monday afternoon:

“At the request of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, FDLE is investigating the officer-involved shooting. Our case is active. I can tell you that agents continue to conduct interviews and review evidence. We are in the early stages of the investigation. Once we complete our portion, we will provide our investigation to the state attorney’s office, and they determine charges.”

Watch Channel 9 Eyewitness News for live updates on this developing story.

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Click here to read Channel 9′s original story on the shooting.

See a map of the shooting scene below:


Jason Kelly

Jason Kelly, WFTV.com

Jason Kelly joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2014. He serves as the station's Digital Executive Producer.