Interlachen Man Arrested on Attempted Murder Charges After Shooting

A 21-year-old Interlachen man faces four counts of attempted murder after four people were shot at and another woman was hit outside a home on Lenore Avenue, The Florida Times-Union reports.

Gun charges in Jacksonville can lead to long prison sentences, especially when they are used to commit a crime or are in the possession of a convicted felon. Because of the seriousness of the charges, hiring an experienced and aggressive Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney should be the first step.According to the news report, the 21-year-old man is being held without bail in the Putnam County Jail. When deputies arrived on Lenore Avenue after receiving reports that someone had been shot in the driveway, they discovered that the victim was on the way to the hospital in a private car. She was shot in the stomach.

Investigators said a man and two others came to the home in a Ford SUV. After arguing with a resident outside the home, the man grabbed a gun from his vehicle and began shooting. The resident ran away to avoid getting shot, but said his sister was hit.

The article states deputies stopped a Ford SUV matching the description on a nearby street and took the 21-year-old into custody for questioning. They later arrested him.

The article doesn’t make clear whether the man confessed to investigators or what led them to make an arrest. Simply driving a vehicle that matches the description of another vehicle — as common as Ford SUVs are in Jacksonville — isn’t probable cause.

From the little information available, it seems likely the suspect spoke with police and possibly gave a confession. What people being suspected of crimes by law enforcement must understand is that detectives have one job — to get a confession. They don’t care about the person. All they care about is getting the suspect to confess to make their bosses happy, to wrap up another case and move on to the next.

They can lie to suspects — telling the suspect that a co-defendant has implicated them or saying they have video evidence, DNA evidence or eyewitness accounts that place them at the scene. It may all be false, but the suspect doesn’t know the officer is bluffing.

According to Florida Statute 782.051, attempted murder is punishable by up to life in prison. It has several definitions. A person who attempts to kill someone or helps someone else intentionally try to kill someone can be found guilty. If someone is injured while the suspect is committing another felony, the suspect can be charged with attempted murder as well.

Because the charge is punishable by life in prison, it must be defended aggressively. This means scrutinizing all aspects of the state’s case, from the actions of detectives, to whether or not they coerced a statement, if one is provided, to cross-examining witnesses before and during trial. If you are being investigated for a crime, the first step should be consulting with an attorney. Don’t try to outsmart the police on your own. more If you or a loved one requires a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call Mussallem and Associates, PA today at 904-365-5200 for a free consultation.

Additional Resources:

Interlachen woman shot in Monday night incident, by Dan Scanlan, The Florida Times Union