PALM BAY, Fla. – A man who survived a Palm Bay shooting that killed three people pretended to be dead to avoid getting shot, a new affidavit shows.
Ta’Shawn Taylor, 26, faces charges of first-degree premeditated murder and attempted first-degree murder stemming from Saturday night’s shooting at the Woodlake Village Apartment Homes. Three people were killed and two were injured.
When officers responded they found 79-year-old Stephen Suglam, 60-year-old Angella Suglam and 31-year-old Lisa Suglam dead. Two other people, a 59-year-old and a 15-year-old, were found injured. The 15-year-old is in critical condition.
According to a probable cause affidavit, one of the victims was standing near the door of Angella Suglam’s bedroom speaking with her and Lisa Suglam when Taylor stepped out of his bedroom and fired a shot toward him.
The victim thought he was struck and fell to the floor inside the bedroom before Taylor stepped into the room and shot another time, hitting Lisa Suglam, according to the affidavit. The victim on the floor “pretended to be dead” to not get shot at again, the affidavit says.
A witness told police she heard Angella Suglam yell, “Ta’Shawn don’t do it” before hearing gunshots, the affidavit shows.
Taylor shot at Angella Suglam, a 10-year-old girl and a 15-year-old boy, who were both in the bed with her, according to the affidavit. The girl hid under the bed until Taylor left the room, according to the victim playing dead, and two more shots rang out after another victim approached Taylor near a door to the home.
Once Taylor was outside the home, police said the victim and the 10-year-old girl ran out of the home and called 911 at a neighbor’s home.
Taylor is being held on no bond in the Brevard County jail.
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