LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – A man who owed $40 shot his neighbor in the neck a week after the man reminded him of the debt, according to the Leesburg Police Department.
Police said the shooting happened on Birchwood Circle in Leesburg on Sunday.
The victim was found at the apartment complex suffering from a gunshot wound to his neck while claiming his neighbor “Milly” shot him then ran toward the back of the complex, records show.
Police said they later went to Ocala Regional Medical Center to get more information from the victim and he said he met the man, identified as Shymiere Howell, about 10 months ago when they were both in custody at the Lake County Jail and then within the past three months Howell moved into the unit behind his at the apartment complex.
The victim said that about a week before the shooting, he reminded Howell that Howell owed money to one of the victim’s friends, according to the affidavit. Howell said he would pay the victim’s friend back and that was the end of the conversation, records show.
Hours before the shooting, Howell aimed his gun at the victim’s chest and shot at the victim twice, although the gun didn’t fire the first time, according to the report.
The victim said he didn’t report that incident because he wasn’t injured and he “thought it was over,” records show.
Police said the victim was waiting on a neighbor to give him a ride later that same day when Howell approached him and, without saying anything, pulled a gun from his pocket and shot the victim in the neck.
On Wednesday, police said they received a tip that Howell was hiding out at the apartment complex so they surrounded the unit and made commands for him to come out for more than 20 minutes.
The front door was breached and a K9 was sent in to search, but fresh insulation and a flip flip on the floor led authorities to believe that Howell was hiding in the attic, records show.
Police said they went into the attic and found Howell hiding under several layers of insulation. Still, he refused to obey their commands so he was hit with a Taser, according to authorities.
Howell, 25, faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.