Florida Man Calls Woman Vulgar Name, Shoots Her in the Arm — Then Gets Beaten by Her Husband, Deputies Say
GRAND ISLAND, FLORIDA — A Florida man’s trip to play cards turned violent when he shot a woman after hurling an insult at her — only to get beaten up by her husband moments later, according to authorities.
76-year-old Michael Phillips was arrested on aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after the altercation outside a home on Sand Road in Grand Island, roughly 45 miles northwest of Orlando, on Saturday evening, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
Argument Over Insult Turns Into Shooting
Deputies responded to a call around 7 p.m. about a shooting at a local residence where neighbors regularly met for card games. When officers arrived, they found a woman with a gunshot wound to her forearm — and Phillips with visible bruises and facial trauma after being attacked by the victim’s husband.
Witnesses told deputies that the woman and her husband were putting their dog into their car when Phillips walked up and asked if he could come in to play cards.
“You’re a f—ing c—,” Phillips allegedly said before pulling a gun from his pocket and firing at her.
Her husband immediately tackled Phillips and began pummeling him repeatedly, knocking the weapon from his hand. The gun was later recovered by witnesses and placed safely on a nearby table before police arrived.
Suspect Claims Gun ‘Accidentally Went Off’
After being read his Miranda rights, Phillips admitted to pulling out the firearm but claimed the shooting was accidental.
He told officers that someone grabbed him as he was reaching for his gun, causing it to discharge. He added that he believed using the firearm was “the only way he’d get answers” during the confrontation and that he thought doing so was “legal.”
“When asked why he pulled out the firearm, he advised he had questions and believed that was the only way he would get answers,” deputies wrote in the arrest affidavit.
The woman told deputies that Phillips had earlier made remarks suggesting people shouldn’t “trust what she says.” When she confronted him about it, he allegedly turned aggressive — culminating in the shooting.
Arrest and Ongoing Investigation
Phillips was taken into custody and booked at the Lake County Jail, where he remains held on the felony charge. The woman was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment and is expected to recover fully.
Neighbors described Phillips as a frequent visitor for weekend card games, but no one could recall him ever showing violent behavior before.
Violence stemming from verbal disputes continues to plague Florida communities, authorities said, urging residents to de-escalate confrontations before they turn deadly.
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