LAKELAND, Fla. — Additional details may be learned today in the case of a teen in a stolen car who was shot and killed by Lakeland police officers.
- Teen in stolen vehicle shot and killed by Lakeland officers
- Michael Taylor, 17, died after being shot by police
- Shooting remains under investigation; some protesting the shooting
A group of people gathered at the intersection of East Memorial Boulevard and North Florida Avenue in Lakeland Wednesday night to protest the shooting death of Michael Taylor, 17.
A key witness in this police shooting was a woman that jumped out of the car as Taylor tried to drive off.
Her identity has not been released and it is unclear if she will face any charges.
The protests also took part after surveillance video of the shooting was released.
Today, the scene damage remains where Taylor was shot by police, then crashed his car into a bike shop.
In the surveillance video of the shooting, you can see one of the three officers involved trying to stop Taylor who is driving a stolen black Camaro.
Taylor speeds forward, almost pinning an officer into another car. That officer and two others behind the car opened fire. Then all three chase the car through the parking lot on foot.
Lakeland police said Michael Taylor, 17, was driving the stolen vehicle early Wednesday morning. Taylor was shot by police and later died. (Lakeland police)
Police say the officer that was in the cars path opened fire in fear of his life - the officers behind the car opened fire to stop the driver and protect as many as 200 other people in the parking lot.
But protesters last night say the video of the shooting does not match how police described the incident - and they say police did not need to open fire.
"There was over 200 people out here," said protester Lakeisha Jones. "That was a stolen vehicle. The tires easily could have been shot out. You know, versus all head shots and shoulder shots. It was like they purposely mutilated this child."
Taylor was no stranger to police - he’d been arrest four times before the shooting yesterday. Some of those arrests were on grand theft auto charges.
Police also say they found a hand gun on the passenger side floorboard of the stolen camaro.
The shooting remains under investigation.