The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of 32-year-old Fredrick Lorenza Kelly Jr., who was shot and killed during an alleged Armed Robbery of a pizza delivery driver Friday night.
The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Days Inn motel at 4500 West New Haven in West Melbourne shortly before midnight. Detectives say 54-year-old Bryon Park of Palm Bay had just returned to his vehicle after delivering a pizza to a room in the motel complex, when he was approached by Kelly who had a large knife.
Kelly demanded money from Park and threatened to kill him if he did not comply. Deputies say that’s when Park, the pizza delivery man who happens to be a former law enforcement officer, grabbed a gun from his car and defended himself, by firing one shot towards Kelly.
Kelly was struck and pronounced dead at the scene. Deputies say this wasn’t the first offense for Fredrick Kelly Jr. It turns out he has a lengthy violent criminal history that includes Armed Robbery, Aggravated Battery and False Imprisonment.
Confrontational crimes such as armed robbery have plummeted since the widespread acceptance of concealed carry laws, precisely because criminals have come to fear the possibility of armed citizens like Mr. Park ending their careers with extreme finality.
The most shocking part of this incident is that former Officer Park fired just one shot. Don’t they teach firing “controlled pairs” at most police academies?
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