Melbourne Police Seek Shooting Suspect In Home Invasion Investigation
By Space Coast Daily // September 9, 2015
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – On September 3 at around 10 a.m., the Melbourne Police Department received a 911 call saying that a female had been shot in the 2600 block of Trinidad Circle in North Melbourne.
Officers arrived in the area and located a frantic scene where they found a 30-year-old female, Nicole Paige, of Melbourne, Florida, with multiple gunshot wounds to her upper torso.
Officers also located William ‘James’ Porter, 20, of Melbourne, Florida, who had shot at the alleged home invasion suspect, according to Commander Dan Lynch of the Melbourne Police Department.
According to Commander Lynch, the investigation is revealing that Porter and Paige are friends who arrived at Paige’s apartment at around 9:30 a.m. on September 3.
After being in the apartment for a short while, they notice the back door was damaged. They started to move through the apartment when an unknown assailant emerged from the back bedroom and began to shoot at Paige and Porter.
Porter retrieved his own firearm and engaged the assailant in a gun battle.
During the shootout, Paige was shot and fled the apartment. Porter who had his young son with him, grabbed his son and fled out the back door.
The assailant was then left in the apartment as Porter handed off his son to a witness who was fleeing the scene.
Porter goes to the front of the apartment and reengages the assailant.
The two exchange gunfire, after a few moments, the assailant flees back into the apartment and ultimately out the rear door. Porter was unharmed and rendered aid to Paige, according to Commander Lynch.
When the Melbourne Police Department arrived on scene it was unclear if the assailant was still inside the apartment so the SWAT team was summoned to search.
It was confirmed that the assailant fled out the back door.
Paige is being treated for her injuries and Porter is fully cooperating with the investigation.
There is limited information about the assailant at this time.
The Melbourne Police Department would request anyone with information regarding this incident to contact the Criminal Investigations Division.
If anyone has any information that could help detectives with these type investigations, please call Central Florida Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).
Calls to Crimeline are anonymous, and tips that lead to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward.
ABOVE MAP: On September 3 at around 10 a.m., the Melbourne Police Department received a 911 call saying that a female had been shot in the 2600 block of Trinidad Circle in North Melbourne.
