In a shocking incident in Tampa, Florida, a man allegedly embarked on a shooting rampage following a discussion about his eviction from a residence due to his romantic interest in a minor. The information was revealed by prosecutors in documents that were recently made available to the public.
Michael Monroe Banks, 42, is currently being held in jail without bond due to the severity of the allegations and his previous criminal record. A court hearing is scheduled for this Wednesday. Banks is facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The incident occurred last Wednesday when police received emergency calls around 12:42 a.m. about a shooting at a residence on the 10000 block of N. 23rd Street in Tampa. Upon arrival, officers found a 60-year-old woman and her 17-year-old granddaughter outside the home. The older woman reported that Banks had shot her and her friend at the location.
According to the police, Banks fired two shots at an officer from the backyard of the house before eventually surrendering. Inside the home, investigators discovered a woman who had been fatally shot in the head.
The grandmother revealed that she and the deceased woman had been discussing evicting Banks due to his romantic pursuit of the teenager. The documents state that after hearing a gunshot, the grandmother turned to see the victim fall to the floor with Banks standing over her, gun in hand. Banks then allegedly shot at the grandmother, grazing her head, before she managed to escape the residence.
The teenager reported to the police that she was in the shower when she heard the gunshots. She attempted to barricade the bathroom door, but Banks allegedly shot through the door at approximately head level. As she tried to escape, he shot her in the leg. During a post-Miranda interview, Banks admitted to writing a letter to the teenager insisting that she enter into a relationship with him and not date anyone else. He described feeling betrayed and upset, leading him to load his revolver and embark on the shooting spree.
Banks reportedly confessed to shooting the woman in the head, attempting to kill the grandmother by aiming at her head and upper torso, and shooting the teenager through the bathroom door. He also admitted to reloading his gun and stepping outside, where he fired at a police officer twice before surrendering.
Prosecutors revealed that Banks had purchased the gun from a sporting goods website a year prior, despite being a convicted felon. He had previously served prison time for aggravated battery of a pregnant woman in 2007 and simple battery in 2010.