TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Protestors flooded a Titusville City Council meeting on Tuesday evening after a man died last week following an officer-involved shooting.
The protestors attended Tuesday’s meeting in response to the shooting on Friday night, which is when police said they were investigating a suspicious incident near Robbins Avenue.
According to the police department, responding officers encountered a man with a handgun — later identified as 25-year-old Tri-Marea Rayquan Charles — at which time “shots were fired.”
In a release, investigators said that Charles was shot by police, and he was taken to the hospital for treatment, though he was ultimately pronounced dead. Police did not specify what prompted officers to fire on Charles.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, though protestors met up at a park and took to the streets to rally against the shooting on Tuesday. The protestors marched to City Hall during a city council meeting.
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Charles’ mother, Samantha Charles, told councilmembers that she has not been able to see her son’s body since his death.
“I get a message to go call these people... Why do I gotta call?” she said. “Why do I gotta reach out to y’all? I’m a grieving mom. I need answers.”
Titusville Police Chief John Lau told News 6 that he met with the mother after Tri-Marea Charles’ death, advising her that Titusville police couldn’t prevent her from seeing her son. Instead, he said that the authority was with the medical examiner.
Despite the explanation, Samantha Charles was undeterred.
“I wanna see my baby. I wanna see my baby,” she said. “The whole situation was wrong. I’m hurt. And it’s ridiculous.”
Titusville Mayor Andrew Connors explained that the council didn’t have the answers Samantha Charles was seeking.
“I understand this is frustrating,” he said. “The investigation is not with our city. And unfortunately, our hands are tied, as well.”
But his comment caused family and friends among the protestors to shout down Connors and the rest of the city council before leaving and spilling into the streets outside. While some protesters stayed inside the chambers to appeal one-on-one to elected officials, most protesters made their way outside.
They blocked streets and chanted for justice, before ending the night in the area of Robbins Avenue, where Tri-Marea Charles was killed.
“We just want some kind of answers,” said Tri-Marea Charles’ uncle James Saunders, who organized the protest.
News 6 was present during the protest and met with Saray Griffin, who lives in the area. She said she was with Tri-Marea Charles on the night he was killed.
While she admitted that he was armed, she stressed that he was not pointing the weapon in the direction of the officers.
“He had the gun in his belt,” Griffin said. “The gun fell on the ground. But he did not aim it at police.”
Titusville police told News 6 that body-camera footage of the encounter will not be available while the FDLE is still investigating the case. No additional information about the investigation has been shared at this time.
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