Pizza Delivery Driver Kills Man who Threatened Him

A pizza delivery driver shot and killed a man who threatened him with a large knife, Brevard County deputies said.

The shooting happened in the parking lot of the Days Inn motel, 4500 West New Haven in West Melbourne, just before mid-night last Friday.

Investigators say, Bryon Park, 54, of Palm Bay, had just returned to his vehicle after delivering a pizza to a room at the motel complex when he was approached by Fredrick L. Kelly Jr.

Kelly demanded money from Park, as he brandished a large knife.  Deputies learned that Kelly threatened to kill Park if he did not comply.

Park retrieved a firearm from his vehicle and fired once toward Kelly, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

“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,” said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.  “The suspect in this investigation was released from prison in 2009, after serving a reduced sentence for similar violent crimes.”

Kelly has a lengthy violent criminal history that includes armed robbery, aggravated battery and false imprisonment, deputies said.