Teen charged as an adult in fatal shooting outside Tallahassee movie theater
Jeff BurlewThe 16-year-old boy who was arrested after allegedly gunning down another teen outside a Tallahassee movie theater earlier this month will be tried as an adult.
The State Attorney’s Office on Monday formally charged Goidia Porter with second-degree murder in the death of De’Quan Davis, 16. Goidia was transferred on Tuesday from the Regional Juvenile Detention Center to the Leon County Detention Facility.
On Wednesday, during his first court appearance, Leon County Judge Augustus Aikens Jr. ordered him held without bond, saying, "No condition of release will ensure the safety of the community." Goidia, wearing an orange jump suit, answered, "No, sir," when asked whether he had any questions.
The Tallahassee Police Department, citing Marsy’s Law and calling the case an active investigation, has released few details in the Sept. 7 shooting outside the Regal Governor’s Square theater. However, court documents say Goidia went to the movies that night with a group of friends and sat in the row directly behind De’Quan and someone described only as Witness 1.
“During the movie, the suspect approached Witness 1 and stated he would fight Witness 1 (to which Witness 1 perceived as playful and joking),” one of the documents states. “Suspect then partially pulled a small multi-colored handgun from his pants pocket, showing it to Witness 1.”
The back story:
► 'I want to make it big': De'Quan Davis, shot outside a movie theater, dreamed of going pro
►Teen arrested after fatal shooting outside Tallahassee movie theater
►People gathered at a Tallahassee vigil for a teen killed in a shooting. Then a gun went off
When the movie ended, the group of friends separated. De’Quan was in the parking lot, waiting for a ride, when Witness 1 turned around to talk to him and saw Goidia pointing the handgun at De’Quan.
“Suspect fired twice striking victim,” the report says. “Suspect ran westbound along the sidewalk of the theater. Witness 1 identified the suspect pictured on a Instagram handle ‘850bandit’ as ‘Gogo’ and the person who shot and killed victim.”
Another unidentified person, Witness 2, heard gunshots and looked over to see De’Quan stumble toward the parking lot and fall. Known acquaintances also identified the suspect as Goidia.
Police found Goidia and the suspected gun he used in the shooting at his home on Harper Street. After he was read his rights, he told investigators that De’Quan confronted him in front of the theater “and said he wanted to fight.”
“Defendant stated at first he was scared and didn’t know how to fight as the reason for shooting the victim,” the court record states. “However, he stated that he was emotionally charged and responded in anger as the reason for shooting victim.”
Nathan Prince, a Tallahassee attorney representing Goidia, declined to comment.
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or follow @JeffBurlew on Twitter.