A Florida man is behind bars facing several felonies after police said he opened fire on his wife and her parents on New Year’s Day.
ABC9 reports that 34-year-old William Brian Stillwell is behind bars facing three counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of child abuse, armed burglary, and use of a firearm during a felony. According to authorities, Stillwell opened fire at his in-laws’ residence, off of the 3000 block of Woodsmill Drive in Melbourne, a little after 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
Stillwell apparently showed up uninvited to the home of Robert and Naima Snelgrove, carrying a 9mm semi-automatic pistol. When asked to leave, the suspect reportedly yelled expletives at his father-in-law, Robert Snelgrove, before entering the backyard and shooting the man in the groin area. When his mother-in-law, Naima Snelgrove, emerged, Stillwell shot her in the abdomen and elbow.
#BREAKING More: #Melbourne Police say 3 adults from one family are hospitalized with gunshot wounds and another family member is in custody! Two young children in house at time of shooting are okay! Live coverage on #WFTVat5 @WFTV pic.twitter.com/4qwrnB8tRh
— Ken Tyndall (@KenTyndallWFTV) January 1, 2019
Stillwell’s two children were apparently in the backyard when their father fired the shots. During a 911 call, the children can be heard screaming, with one crying out that they didn’t want anyone to die.
“No, daddy. No. I don’t want anyone to die.”
A woman in the background, identified as Stillwell’s wife, Mona Stillwell, screamed for the children to run. Stillwell then allegedly shot his wife in the knee.
Melbourne Police Department Lt. Shawn Eising said the children, a 5-year-old twin boy and girl, escaped the home without injury. They fled to a neighbor’s home for help. A male neighbor contacted 911; a dispatcher informed him that several people had called previously and help was on the way.
#BREAKING #Melbourne Police arrest 39 year old William Brian Stillwell on three counts of felony attempted murder, child abuse and other charges after New Year’s Day triple shooting! Live coverage on #TV27at10 & #WFTVat11 @WFTV pic.twitter.com/mPSKS0xUc2
— Ken Tyndall (@KenTyndallWFTV) January 2, 2019
Police arrested Stillwell after a brief standoff. Stillwell then allegedly told authorities that his wife was “a whore and he saw her cheating on him … with his best friend on a recorded video on her phone.”
Mona Stillwell and her children moved in with her parents a week prior to the incident.
All three victims are expected to survive.
Meanwhile, Stillwell is being held at the Brevard County Jail without bail. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Mona and William Stillwell/Facebook]