Man accused of killing trooper identified
Martin County, Fl (treasurecoast.com)- The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has identified the man who shot and killed a Florida Highway Patrol trooper on Wednesday.
He was identified as 28-year-old Franklin Reed III of Palm Bay in Central Florida.
FHP said Trooper Joseph Bullock was assisting Reed, who had a disabled vehicle in the northbound lanes of I-95 in Martin County, around 10:15 a.m. Reed suddenly opened fire, killing Trooper Bullock, according to authorities.
Witnesses said Reed was angry over having to pay to tow his car. That is why he shot the 42-year-old trooper.
Reed has no criminal records in the state of Florida, according to the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement. There were no charges on record that would have made it illegal for Reed to own a firearm. Reed’s prior contact with law enforcement is limited to a few traffic violations in Brevard county.
Moments after the shooting, Riviera Beach Police Officer Jemel Headings, who was in traffic on the interstate, pulled over. Headings then fired on Reed, authorities said.
Law enforcement officials have not said what happened in the moments leading up to the initial confrontation involving Reed and Bullock. It was not immediately known if there any video recordings of the incident. Headings is on administrative leave ,as is routine in all officer-involved shootings.
The case, including a review of the use of force, is being investigated by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, state prosecutors and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
