The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office has identified the decedent of last night’s shooting involving a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper. 15-year-old Zane Terryn of Palm Bay was shot and killed by the Trooper who returned fire after first being shot by Terryn.
The shooting occurred at the Pilot Gas Station located at 4455 West King Street, Cocoa, at approximately 9:45 p.m.
The investigation to date has determined the following sequence of events. Terryn and 16-year-old Morgan McNeil of Palm Bay, were dating and had allegedly established a plan of driving to Ohio, where McNeil is originally from, to commit suicide. Earlier yesterday, McNeil took a handgun and money from a relative’s residence after which, they began driving North on I-95, in McNeil’s vehicle. As they approached State Road 520, they decided to get food and pulled into the Pilot Gas Station when the headlights on the vehicle became inoperable.
A Trooper who had just parked at the store, approached the vehicle to speak with them about the safety equipment problem. As the Trooper was speaking with McNeil, Terryn, who was the passenger in the vehicle, produced a firearm and began shooting at the Trooper. The Trooper was struck by one of the rounds in the shoulder. The Trooper returned fire with one round striking Terryn.
McNeil then attempted to flee the scene and while driving away struck a boat that was being pulled by a pickup truck on SR 520 before coming to rest on the shoulder of the westbound lane. Assisting Troopers immediately responded to the shooting scene and located the vehicle and took McNeil into custody. Terryn was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Trooper was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center with a serious shoulder wound, where he was treated and has since been released.
McNeil is being charged with Attempted Murder of a Law Enforcement Officer and 2nd Degree Felony Murder. She is currently being held without bond.
The trooper is identified as Lieutenant Channing Taylor. Lieutenant Taylor began his career as a trooper in 1994. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2007 and serves as the supervisor of traffic homicide for the Brevard District. Lieutenant Taylor is currently on paid administrative leave and is recuperating from his injuries, which is the normal practice in cases of this nature.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the death Investigation concerning the incident and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is conducting an independent and parallel investigation relating to the use of force.
Anyone with information about this Investigation is asked to please call Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Agent Marlon Buggs at 321-633-8413, or CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477), you can also visit https://crimeline.org/, or text ‘crimeline’ plus your tip to CRIME (274637). All information to CRIMELINE is confidential and you may be eligible for a reward.
