Protests over deadly police shooting stop Titusville City Council meeting

TITUSVILLE, Fla. — The Titusville City Council meeting went offline for more than a half-hour Tuesday after protesters shouted down the city’s mayor over the lack of answers to a deadly officer-involved shooting last week.

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Police said they shot Tri-Marea Charles, 25, Friday evening after they arrived at a scene and found Charles holding a handgun.

After the shooting, the police chief posted a video calling for patience as FDLE agents investigated. That did little to deflect the anger at a department that has now had a deadly response for the second time in three months.

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“Hopeless,” his uncle, James Saunders, said, as to how he and the others in the community were feeling.

Charles’ family and friends, who led Tuesday’s march on city hall, said they were bothered by the lack of evidence available to them. They claimed they still hadn’t been able to see Charles’ body and had not been given the chance to view video of the shooting – including video that proved Charles was holding a gun.

“If it’s wrong, he’s in the wrong, but other than that we feel like he wasn’t in the wrong and Titusville Police Department needs to answer for that,” Saunders said.

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Charles’ mother, Samantha, followed several angry speakers who denounced the city’s chief and talked about the supposed inconsiderate way Black residents’ cases were handled by the city.

Her request for answers was met by an apologetic-sounding mayor.

“I understand this is frustrating,” Andrew Connors told her, “The investigation is not with our city, unfortunately our hands are tied as well.”

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That’s when the protests began. With many in the audience standing and shouting, the mayor called a recess and waited until the protesters filed outside to march back to their original meeting point.

He told WFTV during the pause that he had nothing more to add to what he told Charles’ family, and he was also waiting for FDLE.

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