William Mark Williams (Charlotte County Jail).
A Florida homeowner started shooting at two salesmen because they dared to knock on his door in an attempt to sell solar panels, cops say.
It was at approximately 5 p.m. on Monday when the incident took place at a residence located in the 13000 block of Boabadilla Lane in Port Charlotte. A probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime states that deputies from Charlotte County responded to a shooting report. The caller informed authorities that two distressed men had knocked on her door, claiming that their neighbor had fired shots at them.
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She guided the men to her backyard where they took cover behind her shed, while she promptly dialed 911. After hearing six to eight initial shots followed by another four or five, the men, visibly panicked, urgently knocked on her door seeking assistance.
Upon further investigation, detectives interviewed the two men, aged 20 and 25, who disclosed that they were selling solar panels in the neighborhood. They recounted knocking on a door where an elderly woman answered and, seemingly displeased, instructed them to depart. As the men walked away, approximately 50 to 100 feet from the house, they heard a series of five or six gunshots. According to the detectives, they observed a man shouting and aiming a firearm in their direction, though fortunately, no one was injured by the gunfire.
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Cops went to the home in question where they arrested 72-year-old William Mark Williams. He stands accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and discharging a firearm in public. Both victims identified Williams as the suspect. Cops took him to the Charlotte County Jail where he has since bonded out. He has a court date scheduled for June 30. The court appointed him an attorney because he was labeled indigent, per records.
A picture of Williams’ home on Google Maps taken May 2024 shows a yard sign reading “F— Joe Biden” and an upside down American flag — which has become known as a symbol of right-wing protest — posted near the entry.
“Once again we are called out to a neighborhood in which a firearm was discharged recklessly,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said in a statement. “Thankfully, nobody was hurt by this individual’s actions, though I am sure the victims will not forget the fear they felt any time soon. This man’s response to solicitors was absolutely uncalled for and could have been deadly. I pray that people can learn to regulate their emotions instead of jumping to violence so quickly.”
