MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. – A day after a Florida Highway Patrol trooper was fatally shot while helping a motorist near a rest stop on Interstate 95, a Palm Bay resident has been identified as the gunman.
According to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, 28-year-old Franklin Reed III, of Palm Bay, killed Trooper Joseph Bullock, a 19-year veteran, on Wednesday.
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FHP officials said Reed was pursued and fatally shot by Riviera police.
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Bullock, 44, was a field training officer who was hired by the agency in 2001 and served the Treasure Coast area for his entire career.
“This is a tragedy and it’s going to take a long time to heal,” FHP Colonel Gene Spaulding said.
It’s unknown at this point if Bullock and Reed had any type of interaction before the shooting. Deputies said they plan to question witnesses and collect evidence in the coming days.
An update on the case is expected next week.
“This is still an active investigation, and there is much work to be done,” deputies wrote in a news release.