An early morning shootout between a Titusville cab driver and his passenger, has left a 19-year-old dead, Titusville police said.
19-year-old Marize Simone Brooks was picked up by the unnamed cab driver before 2:00 a.m., on Wednesday, not far from the intersections of Mockingbird Lane and Elizabeth Avenue, where the shooting took place.
The cab driver told investigators there was a discussion about the fare between the two, when suddendly he was shot in the back of his head. But the cab driver quickly pulled out a Glock handgun and returned fire, hitting Brooks several times, according to news reports.
The cab driver then staggered out of the cab and called 911 to say he had been shot, leaving Brooks dead in the back seat of the cab, police said.
The injured cab driver was transported to the Holmes Regional Medical Center for treatment. Brooks’ body was transported to the Brevard County medical examiner’s office in Rockledge, floridatoday.com reports.
Police are continuing with their investigation into the deadly shooting, but believe that the cab driver acted in self-defense.