A birthday celebration turned tragic in a Florida Walgreens when a 27-year-old man was fatally shot in front of his young son. Anthony Souvenir was shopping with his son and girlfriend when he became embroiled in a heated dispute with Jaime Taylor, 28. Souvenir accused Taylor of inappropriately staring at his girlfriend, sparking the confrontation.
Taylor had been in the store prior to the arrival of Souvenir and his family around 11:20 a.m. on February 3. Police reports indicate that Souvenir approached Taylor, accusing him of giving undue attention to his girlfriend. The verbal exchange between the two men ended with Souvenir walking away, but he misinterpreted a phone conversation Taylor was having as a comment about him.
The situation took a turn for the worse when Souvenir noticed Taylor’s firearm. Souvenir allegedly made a comment about the gun, which Taylor perceived as a threat. In response, Taylor drew his weapon but did not immediately discharge it. According to Taylor’s account to the police, he fired the fatal shot when Souvenir reached for his bag.
After the shooting, Taylor fled the scene but later turned himself in to the Miramar police. He was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and is currently being held without bail at the Broward County Jail. Taylor maintains that he felt threatened by Souvenir and believed his life was in danger.
While Souvenir lay on the store floor, his girlfriend called the police. He was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. His mother remembered him as a loving father and son on a GoFundMe page, stating that Souvenir was an exceptional father with big dreams for his son.
The family is now dealing with the loss of Souvenir and the financial burden of his mother’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis last year. Souvenir’s father described his son’s death as a senseless act of violence and urged people to resolve conflicts without resorting to firearms.