On January 20, 2024, a deadly shooting occurred at the Woodlake Village Apartment Homes in Palm Bay, Florida, resulting in the deaths of three people, including 31-year-old Lisa Suglam. Lisa Suglam was the sister of the suspect, Ta’Shawn Taylor, and a resident of the apartment where the shooting took place.
The incident began when Ta’Shawn Taylor, 26, stepped out of his bedroom and fired a shot toward a victim who was standing near the door of his mother's bedroom, where Lisa
Suglam was also present. The victim believed he was struck and fell to the floor, pretending to be dead to avoid further shots. Taylor then entered the bedroom and fired several more rounds, hitting Lisa Suglam among others. Lisa Suglam was shot and fell on top of one of the surviving victims.
The victims who were fatally shot included Lisa Suglam, her mother Angella Suglam (60 years old), and her grandfather Stephen Suglam (79 years old). Two other people were injured in the shooting: a 15-year-old boy, who was in critical condition, and Gary Taylor, 59, whose injuries were non-life-threatening.
Ta’Shawn Taylor fled the scene in his mother’s black Lexus and was later apprehended by police in Melbourne. He was charged with three counts of first-degree premeditated murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. Taylor is being held without bond in the Brevard County Jail. His family has stated that he suffers from schizophrenia and has a history of mental health issues, which may have contributed to the incident.
The state has filed a notice to seek the death penalty against Ta’Shawn Taylor, citing that the murders were committed in a "cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification". The case is ongoing, with Taylor scheduled to appear in court again on May 9, 2024.
