A Gainesville man was arrested Wednesday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in a domestic violence dispute as a convicted felon.
According to the arrest report, Pierre Williams, 35, got into a physical fight with his stepson. The stepson, 19, was reportedly mildly injured from the fight. Williams, who’s been convicted of multiple felonies, pulled out a handgun and threatened to shoot his stepson in the head.
Leading up to the fight, Williams reportedly got into a verbal argument with the stepson’s mother. After the argument, the stepson reportedly heard a gunshot in the living room and tried to intervene. This resulted in a physical fight between WIlliams and the stepson, leaving the stepson injured on his left side.
According to the arrest report, Williams’ stepson picked up a kitchen knife to defend himself and in return, Williams drew his gun and pointed it at the stepson’s face, threatening to shoot. The stepson reportedly returned to his bedroom until officers from the Gainesville Police Department arrived. Williams’ two other children, ages 9 and 14, were also witnesses of the altercation.
Williams was arrested and denied possessing or firing a gun when speaking to law enforcement. The handgun described by witnesses was not found on the scene, but police were able to determine that a .38 caliber handgun was fired in the house due to a bullet in the living room wall. A matching casing was found and had been moved from the living room to the daughter’s room, according to the arrest report.
Williams was charged with domestic battery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and shooting in an occupied building. He was previously convicted for battery and has several previous felony convictions including drug possession and theft.
Contact Kaysheri Haffner at khaffner@alligator.org. Follow her on X @kaysheri_h.
Kaysheri Haffner is a second-year journalism major and the Criminal Justice reporter for the Alligator. When she's not on the clock, she can be found reading a book or working on a creative writing project.
