Family of Lakeland teen fatally shot by police announce 'new developments'

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The family of a Lakeland teen who was killed by officers say they've learned of new information that would not make December’s deadly shooting justifiable. 

The officer-involved shooting occurred in the early-morning hours after Christmas. Initially, officers were called to disperse a crowd of 200 outside Salem’s Gyros & More restaurant in Lakeland. There, they noticed a suspected stolen vehicle in the packed parking lot. 

Surveillance video shows officers walking toward the vehicle, but they said Taylor drove the car toward one of them, forcing them to fire their weapons. Taylor died following the shooting, and the State Attorney’s Office and Lakeland Police Department are still investigating the shooting.

Taylor’s family said the car was a rental that his friend failed to return on time. Taylor borrowed the car, they said. 

The following statement was released by the family’s attorney, Michele Rayner-Goolsby.