WEST MELBOURNE, Florida --- 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.
The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Days Inn motel at 4500 West New Haven, West
Melbourne shortly before midnight on Friday.
54-year-old Bryon Park of Palm Bay had just returned to his vehicle after delivering a Domino's pizza to a
room in the motel complex when he was approached by Kelly brandishing a large knife. Kelly allegedly demanded money from Park and threatened to kill him if he did not comply. Brevard County spokesperson Lieutenant Tod Goodyear said in a release that Park then obtained the
firearm he carries in his vehicle and defended himself by firing once toward Kelly. Kelly was
struck and pronounced dead at the scene.
Kelly’s body was transported to the Brevard
County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Fredrick Kelly Jr. has a lengthy violent criminal history that includes armed robbery, aggravated battery and false imprisonment.
"Preliminary evidence in the case demonstrates that the intended
victim of the robbery acted in self defense while being robbed by a violent criminal who was
armed with a knife," Sheriff Wayne Ivey said. "The suspect in this investigation was released from prison in 2009, after
serving a reduced sentence for similar violent crimes.”
Anyone with information about the investigation is urged to call the Brevard County Sheriff’s
Office Homicide Unit at 321-633-8413 or CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
All calls to
CRIMELINE are confidential, and callers can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward for
information leading to an arrest.
