Article

Woman shot in car with children

Published: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
SARASOTA -

Police say a 28-year-old man shot his ex-girlfriend while she sat in a car with her young children Tuesday.

Melanie J. Franklin, 27, was shot in the shoulder and flown to Bayfront Medical Center early Tuesday.

Franklin left the hospital in the morning and identified a former boyfriend -- Keyvus D. Canady -- as the gunman.

But Canady says he has an alibi: He was at the movies with friends and was nowhere near the 1600 block of 36th Street in Sarasota.

Reached by phone, Canady, who lives in Bradenton, said he knew police were looking for him but had not spoken with detectives by mid-morning.

"Man, she's lying," he said. "I didn't have anything to do with that. I don't know why she wants to say it's me."

Franklin was not the only person to identify Canady as the shooter. Her new boyfriend, Lauriel Trotman, was in the car with the children in a back seat when Canady confronted him.

Canady reportedly walked up to the car, reached inside and hit Trotman in the face. He then walked to the other side and hit Franklin, police said.

Franklin sped out in reverse, and when she did, a bullet shattered the glass. A helicopter landed at the Hollywood 20 movie theater to fly her to the hospital.

She could not be reached. Canady had not been charged by late Tuesday afternoon.


This story appeared in print on page BM1

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