JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Monday, the friend of a Jacksonville woman who was shot in the face and left paralyzed spoke to Action News Jax after the suspect in that shooting received her fate in Duval County on June 18th.
Court documents reveal that the defendant, Lattoray Collins, pleaded guilty to attempted manslaughter. She was originally charged with attempted murder. Collins was sentenced to 12 years in prison with credit for over a year of time served.
The incident happened in February 2025 in Jacksonville’s Murray Hill neighborhood. Detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said Collins was following her ex-boyfriend’s car and saw another woman inside.
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Collins started arguing with him and then started shooting, hitting the victim, Latasha Taylor, in the face. Taylor was Collins’ ex-boyfriend’s cousin. Friend Diane Smith believes Collins misconstrued the relationship between the victim and her cousin.
“She thought Tasha was the new replacement girlfriend,” Smith said.
Taylor survived the shooting but was left paralyzed from the neck down.
“She’s a quadriplegic. She will be a quadriplegic now for the rest of her life. Meaning Zion, she only gets to move her eyes in her mouth. She doesn’t move her head. She doesn’t move her neck. She has nothing. She just lays in bed,” Smith revealed.
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Smith said she and Taylor’s family, who isn’t talking to the media right now, are displeased with the court’s decision. They believe the defendant should have received a longer sentence.
Smith said Taylor wanted Collins to receive the maximum sentence, but she’s trying to move on spiritually.
“She forgives the defendant for shooting her. I don’t know if I could’ve done that,” said Smith.
Smith also told Action News Jax that the family is struggling with considerable medical debt, given Taylor’s paralysis.
“Tasha’s life will never be the same. Ever. Ever. That family is struggling financially; they barely can make ends meet,” said Smith.
The family has set up a GoFundMe for donations.
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