JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Duval County jury has found 31-year-old Michael Deshawn Williams Jr. guilty of Attempted Second-Degree Murder in connection with a shooting at The Avenues Mall, according to an announcement from Florida State Attorney’s Office.
Jurors also determined that Williams discharged a firearm causing great bodily injury, a finding that exposes him to a potential life sentence in Florida State Prison. The Honorable London Kite will impose sentencing at a later date.
The conviction stems from an incident on December 1, 2023, at The Avenues Mall in Jacksonville. Evidence presented at trial showed the victim was at the mall with a friend when they encountered Williams. The victim and Williams had previously been close friends but had fallen out over a personal dispute involving a woman.
Prosecutors said the victim attempted to address the past conflict, but Williams pushed him inside the mall. Investigators testified that Williams then followed the victim outside, shoved him again, produced a firearm, and shot him in the face before fleeing the scene. The victim was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Multiple witnesses, including the victim’s friend and an independent bystander, testified to seeing the confrontation and the shooting. Williams later fled to Louisiana, where he was located and arrested by detectives with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Williams has remained in custody at the John E. Goode Pretrial Detention Facility since his arrest on January 6, 2024. He was also known by the stage name “Dolly Mike.”
The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Crystal Ganpath-Freed and Loana Nardoni.
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