Derick Luke, a 39-year-old resident of Cocoa, Florida, tragically lost his life on January 14, 2017. The incident occurred near Brophy Boulevard in unincorporated Cocoa. According to reports, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting at approximately 11:45 a.m. Upon arrival, deputies found Derick Luke critically wounded. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation revealed that the shooting was an isolated incident related to a disturbance that had occurred at a different location earlier that day.
The investigation into Derick Luke's death led to the arrest of 41-year-old Levetirus Leon Cole. Cole was apprehended by the Brevard County GAMEOVER Task Force on January 15, 2017, in Melbourne, Florida. The arrest was in connection with the shooting that resulted in Luke's death. According to the investigation, Cole had driven a vehicle, also occupied by Luke, to a residence on Brophy Boulevard following the earlier disturbance. Cole allegedly displayed a firearm and threatened a group of people outside the residence. During this confrontation, Xavier Thomas, a 24-year-old from Cocoa, fired at Cole, striking Luke instead. Cole then fled the scene before the arrival of the sheriff's deputies.
Following the incident, an arrest warrant was issued for Cole, charging him with Attempted 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Using a Firearm While Engaged in Criminal Activity. Cole was located and arrested without incident by the GAMEOVER Task Force. He was held at the Brevard County Jail Complex under a no-bond status. Additionally, Cole faced a Felony Violation of Probation for an unrelated incident. The investigation into the shooting was ongoing, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
Derick Luke's death was a result of a complex series of events involving multiple individuals and a prior disturbance. The case highlights the dangers of firearm-related violence and the swift response of law enforcement in apprehending suspects involved in such incidents. The community of Cocoa, Florida, was left to mourn the loss of a 39-year-old man whose life was cut short by a tragic act of violence.
