Florida man ‘unloaded’ a gun on two Kentucky teens, killing one, court records say
A man charged with shooting two Louisville teenagers, killing one, on a Florida beach admitted to police that he “unloaded” on the 14-year-olds with a .45-caliber handgun, according to new court documents.
Christopher Lawrence Cox, a 37-year-old Panama City Beach resident, told police that he shot the Louisville stepbrothers because he thought they were trying to steal his backpack, according to an affidavit filed in Bay County court Wednesday.
“When explaining the incident, he claimed one of the boys grabbed his bag and he felt as though they were trying to steal from him,” an investigator wrote in the affidavit. “In turn, he pulled the bag away from the victim and then retrieved his ‘Colt .45’ 1911 handgun from inside the bag, cocked it, and ‘unloaded.’”
One of the teenagers died on the beach outside the Shores of Panama condos after being shot multiple times about 1:30 a.m Tuesday. The other survived after being shot once in the foot and once in the arm. The surviving victim provided a description of the shooter which matched Cox, according to the indictment. Cox, who had blood on his pants, was arrested shortly after the killing.
Some of the boys’ family members previously told other media outlets that the altercation started when Cox approached the teens and asked for a cigarette. The boys said no, according to the other reports. The family members, who weren’t named in other stories, said that Cox then told the boys he was going to shoot them.
The gun was concealed in the backpack and wrapped in a shirt, Cox told police, according to the affidavit. He didn’t have the weapon in a holster, and he indicated that he didn’t have a concealed weapons permit. Cox also told police the gun had a loaded magazine.
Cox reenacted the altercation for police, according to the indictment. He told police he “was not willing to” lose his gun if the boys took his backpack as Cox claimed they had tried to do.
The boys were visiting the area on vacation, police said. The condos are located right on the Gulf of Mexico, and several other vacation hot spots are nearby. Neither of the teenagers have been named in court records.
Cox had his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon, according to court records. A Bay County judge ordered Cox to be held in custody without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for April 26, according to court records.
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 7:34 AM.