ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – An 18-year-old man has been arrested in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old about two weeks ago in Rockledge.
Tauje Malik Jackson was booked Thursday morning, arrested via warrant to face a charge of manslaughter, records show.
According to the affidavit for Jackson’s arrest warrant, Rockledge police were called to a home on Ferndale Avenue before 6 a.m. on Nov. 8 after a 911 caller told dispatchers that someone got shot. When the dispatcher asked the caller to clarify whether the victim shot themself, the caller replied, “someone else shot him but it was an accident,” the affidavit states.
Police rushed to the home and found the victim lying unresponsive on his back on the corner of a couch with a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the affidavit. The victim was hospitalized and later died, police said.
Multiple witnesses told police that the shooting occurred when the 16-year-old was alone in the room with Jackson, with most of the witnesses saying they saw Jackson run away after a single shot was fired, the affidavit states.
Witnesses said further that the victim allegedly told them “he shot me” before becoming nonverbal, as well as that Jackson “previously was pointing (two) firearms at multiple witnesses” and sent one of them a message after the incident stating, “I’m sorry bro,” according to the affidavit.
Jackson was given a $35,000 bond at his first appearance on Friday, where he was also ordered to not return to the location or to possess any guns or ammunition. His arraignment was scheduled for December.