17-year-old shot and killed on Titusville bike trail identified

TITUSVILLE, Fla. - Detectives with the Titusville Police Department say a suspect remains at large following the fatal shooting of a teenager along a bike trail.

The victim has been identified as 17-year-old Mercutio Nicholias Burford.

The incident happened just before 1 p.m.  Officers responded to a report of an injured person along U.S. Highway 1 near the Parrish Medical Center.  When they arrived at the scene, they found Burford with an apparent gunshot wound lying near a bike trail just across the highway from the hospital. 

Burford was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries was pronounced deceased at 3:40 p.m.

The suspect is not known but is believed to have fled south on foot from the crime scene and is still at large.  He is described as a "Black male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, slim build, with short hair, wearing a gray long sleeve hoodie sweatshirt, and dark-colored shorts."

Detectives are working all leads and request that if anyone with information call police at 321-264-7800 or in this case can remain anonymous and be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000 by contacting Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).

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