A Florida resident is facing charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly shooting a woman and subsequently being assaulted by her husband. Michael Phillips, 76, was arrested with visible facial injuries following the incident.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting at a residence on Sand Road in Grand Island, approximately 45 miles northwest of Orlando, just after 7 p.m. on a recent Saturday. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a woman with a gunshot wound to her forearm and Phillips, who had sustained facial injuries.
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the woman and her husband were in the process of securing their dog in their car when Phillips approached them. He reportedly asked if he could enter their home to participate in a card game. As he was entering the house, Phillips allegedly insulted the woman and subsequently shot her.
The woman’s husband immediately came to her defense, physically assaulting Phillips and disarming him. The firearm was reportedly placed on a table following the altercation.
The woman informed law enforcement that Phillips had initially approached their home with a warning not to trust her. When she questioned his statement, he responded with derogatory language.
Following his arrest and after being read his Miranda rights, Phillips confessed to brandishing a firearm. He claimed that he was grabbed and the gun discharged, striking the woman. When questioned about his motive for drawing the weapon, Phillips stated that he had questions and believed that was the only way to get answers. He also expressed the belief that his actions were legal.
Phillips is currently being held at the Lake County Jail on a $25,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 10.