Man killed fighting back against robbery suspect, family says
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A grieving family talked with FOX 35 about what they feel was a cold-blooded murder.
They said a man went to grab something from a 7-Eleven and wound up shot by a stranger. The family says they knew their neighborhood wasn’t safe, but still, they never imagined something like this would happen. The man killed was Factor Adrian Tejax.
"He was the type of person that if you ever need anything, you can always count on him. He was generous, loving, caring, hardworking," said Nicole Rich, a family friend.
Rich says the family was having a cookout and having a great time.
"He walked to the store to get some drinks, and he never made it back."
This happened near a 7-Eleven near West Crestview Road and Monopoly Lane in Cocoa. Police say surveillance video shows 20-year-old Kenydrick Anderson hiding in the bushes, changing his clothes, and following Tejax as he left the store.
They walk out of view of the cameras, and that’s when police say Anderson pulled the trigger. Tejax’s sister, Silvia Tejax, told FOX 35 News she heard the gunshots and hoped to God it wasn’t her brother.
"En este momento, no pensamos que era el."
She told FOX 35 she doesn’t even have the words for the pain she’s feeling.
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She wants the shooter behind bars for the rest of his life so other families don’t have to go through what they’re experiencing.
Rich says Tejax’s sister is terrified.
"She doesn’t even want to be alone. She’s traumatized, it’s just horrible."
Cocoa Police say Anderson confessed to the murder while he was being questioned, explaining he didn’t expect Tejax to fight back in an attempted robbery, so he shot him. Police recovered a weapon they think was used in the murder.
Anderson is still 19 – over a year from the age he could legally own a firearm.
The family also wants to see extra patrols in the area. They say crimes there are frequent, and they don’t feel safe.
Anderson has had some run-ins with law enforcement officers in Brevard County before, but not for anything violent.
The Tejax family is also trying to gather funds for funeral expenses. They have established a GoFundMe page to assist with costs.