On the night of September 24, 2017, Taris Nickolas, a 40-year-old African American man, was tragically killed in a shooting incident in Tallahassee, Florida. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. in the Steele Drive neighborhood, a residential area managed by the Tallahassee Housing Authority. According to reports, neighbors described a chaotic scene following the gunfire, with one witness, Daisey Gentle, recounting how she found Nickolas unresponsive and attempted to provide comfort until
emergency responders arrived. Despite being transported to the hospital, Nickolas succumbed to his injuries, marking the 16th homicide in Tallahassee that year.
The investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from a confrontation involving Calvin Holiday, a 24-year-old man, who was upset with the mother of his children and her new boyfriend, Lee Claridy. On the night of the incident, Nickolas and his wife were visiting their nephew, Claridy, at his residence on Steele Drive. As they were preparing to leave, Holiday arrived and confronted Claridy, leading to a violent altercation. Nickolas attempted to intervene but was shot multiple times along with Claridy. Holiday also fired shots at a nearby vehicle containing his children, further escalating the situation.
Following the incident, Holiday was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree homicide, attempted first-degree murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The case proceeded to trial, where Holiday was ultimately found guilty of manslaughter in March 2018. The jury opted for a lesser charge than second-degree murder, reflecting the complex circumstances surrounding the shooting. Holiday's conviction brought some measure of justice for the family of Taris Nickolas, though the tragic loss of life left a lasting impact on the community.
