A 19-year-old man was arrested in Marion County after he got into an argument with a woman and allegedly fired several shots at her vehicle as she drove away from a local residence.
On Wednesday, September 25, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the intersection of NW Gainesville Road and SE 165th Avenue. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the female victim who advised that she had gotten into a verbal altercation with Markell Keith Hopkins, according to the arrest report.
In a statement, the victim advised that Hopkins had gotten angry at her earlier in the morning when she “took too long” at a store. She stated that Hopkins then “took her [car] keys.”
According to the victim, she managed to retrieve her keys from Hopkins while at a local residence. When she entered her vehicle to leave, she stated that Hopkins approached her while wielding a pistol.
The victim alleged that Hopkins pointed the pistol at her and pulled the trigger, which made a “click” sound. She told the deputy that as she began driving away, she heard “several gunshots in rapid succession,” according to the report.
The deputy noted in the report that the victim feared for her safety during the incident and believed that Hopkins was capable of killing her. She further stated that Hopkins was “in a gang.”
While at the incident location, the deputy made contact with a relative of Hopkins who advised that he was in the bathroom at the time of the shooting. He stated that he heard “hollering and cussing” coming from the victim and Hopkins, which was followed by Hopkins telling the victim, “You need to leave,” according to the report.
Moments later, the relative stated that the front door was slammed, followed by the sound of several gunshots. The report stated that after the incident, the relative observed “multiple spots in the yard” that “appeared to have been shot.”
Hopkins was located, arrested, and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on a $20,000 bond. He is being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
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Source: ocala-news
