Chanel Williams, on the left, and Diante Stokes, on the right, are implicated in a love triangle that left a 15-year-old boy shot in Florida over the weekend. (Brevard County Sheriff’s Office)
A teenage boy in Florida is in critical condition and another is behind bars for the shooting – along with the 35-year-old woman they both allegedly shared a relationship and rivalry with, officials say.
According to the Rockledge Police Department, 19-year-old Diante Stokes shot the 15-year-old, who is not being identified due to his age and status as an alleged victim. An arrest affidavit says the incident occurred on Saturday night near the pool at the Hammock Harbor Apartment complex.
Stokes is currently charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two parole violations, according to Brevard County jail records. He is currently being detained there without bond.
“Something bad is going to happen and I am going to jail for a long time,” the 19-year-old allegedly told his older lover in a Snapchat message the day before the shooting, the affidavit says.
According to the arrest warrant for Stokes, two witnesses described hearing around eight separate gunshots. One witness said the alleged shooter had been “beefing” with the victim and threatening him via social media and text messages.
According to police, Stokes shot the boy at least twice and drove off. He was wanted for several days but arrested on Tuesday.
On Sunday, 35-year-old Chanel Williams was arrested in connection with the shooting, jail records show. She currently stands accused of one count each of child neglect with great bodily harm, furnishing a weapon to a minor, causing a child to commit an act of delinquency, and unsafe storage of a firearm. Her combined bond for each offense was set at $45,000 after a Monday court appearance.
Police say the older woman provided the 15-year-old with a gun to protect himself from the older teenager.
According to Florida Today, the 15-year-old suffered injuries to his chest and leg, citing an RPD spokesperson. The resulting investigation allegedly turned up a 9mm handgun inside a bag belonging to the victim. That gun, police claim, was traced back to Williams.
“The female that we arrested had a romantic relationship with both the suspect and the 15-year-old,” RPD Deputy Chief Donna Seyferth said in comments reported by Daytona Beach-based NBC affiliate WESH. During her court appearance, Williams was ordered to have no contact with a child under the age of 18, the TV station reported.
“It is a very confusing case,” Seyferth continued. “We’ve got a guardian that’s not a guardian. We’ve got a 35-year-old female that has been with both our suspect and our victim, one of them being a juvenile. It has taken a lot of investigative work to get where we are.”
According to Orlando CBS affiliate WKMG, Williams’ attorney told Judge Katie Jacobus that his client is a nurse’s assistant and suggested the no-contact order was likely to cause problems.
“She has five minor children of whom she’s the sole caretaker and sole breadwinner for,” defense attorney Jason Downs reportedly said.
The defense attorney also disputed the veracity of some of the claims made by law enforcement – but declined to go into specifics.
“Our preliminary investigation shows that the police reporting may be a little bit inaccurate,” Downs said after his client’s arraignment. “Maybe the facts do not support the charges. So we are looking forward to dealing with this case in court.”
Police also said they anticipate filing additional charges against Williams, WESH reports. The Sunshine State’s child welfare agency was also reportedly brought into the picture after the shooting.
Williams has another court appearance slated for March 30. Stokes’ arraignment is slated for April 4; he was appointed a public defender on the day he was arrested, court records show.
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