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Atmore Man Gets 20 Years For Century Shotgun Shooting
November 9, 2012
A 56-year old man will spend the next two decades behind bars for shooting another man as he ran across busy North Century Boulevard last December.
Willie James Floyd of Atmore was charged with attempted first degree murder, but last month it took a jury just over four hours to find him guilty of the lesser charge of aggravated battery using a deadly weapon. Thursday, he was sentenced to a 20 year minimum mandatory prison term by Judge Michael Allen.
Floyd shot 30-year old Deririck Medlock of Hoover, Ala., December 6, 2011, as he ran across the 8100 block of North Century Boulevard.
Medlock told deputies he was traveling north on North Century Boulevard (Hwy. 29) about 3:50 p.m. when a white four-door vehicle swerved in front of him, cutting him off. Medlock said he pulled into the Century Quick Stop at 8130 North Century Boulevard to calm down after the near-accident.
Medlock said he was outside his vehicle talking on his cellphone when Floyd then pulled into the parking lot and confronted the him, according to an arrest report. Floyd then retrieved a shotgun from his car and fired into Medlock’s car, striking it with birdshot at the roof line above the rear passenger door (pictured left).
The victim then ran across North Century Boulevard when Floyd fired again, striking the victim in the leg with birdshot. Birdshot was also lodged in his wallet in his back pants pocket. Medlock hid behind a tree across North Century Boulevard from the store, where he watched Floyd drive away. Medlock then drove to the Southern Panhandle Restaurant just north of the store and called 911. He was evaluated there by Escambia County EMS, and he refused transport to the hospital.
Other witnesses confirmed the details given by the victim, and at the shooting was captured on the store’s surveillance video.
For more photos from the scene, click here.
Pictured top: Deririck Medlock of Hoover, Ala., explains how an Atmore man shot him with shotgun December 6, 2011, in Century as Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Frank Way listens. Pictured inset: Damage to the victim’s car. Pictured below: The shooting incident began in this parking lot. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
19 Responses to “Atmore Man Gets 20 Years For Century Shotgun Shooting”
I miss uncle Willie.
Willie James likely wasn’t working at the time of this incident, so what makes you think he will be seeking employment when he gets out in twenty years. If he doesn’t change his attitude he may not come out of this place alive, he thinks he’s bad but he’s heading to a place where there are really bad people who have nothing to loose by showing him how bad they are.
@melodies4us – “…and what job will this man be able to hold when he is released in 20 years?” Why is this even a consideration? I don’t know the man, but I would guess he’s not on an executive fast track now. In 20 years, Willie will be what he is now – an uneducated, convicted felon. Just 20 years older.
…and what job will this man be able to hold when he is released in 20 years?
I’ve been knowing Willie Floyd all my life, and since i knew him, he always tried to go for bad and try to jump on folks, we glad he just got a baby life sentence. Everybody in Cenury is glad.
When you load a gun, it means you are going to use it. (somewhere -sometime) Me’ I was brought up around guns, and was taught that you only point a gun when you plan to use it and it was to kill! or target shoot. Mr, Floyd did shoot at someone he got what he deserved!!!!I
@ Wrong, The Jury decided not guilty on attempted murder, not me. I just agree with them.
@Not again. “A shotgun is not a firehose of death”,” “the cloud of shot has not had time to spread out”. I agree 100%, that is why I stated below, that if Mr Floyd had intended to kill he would have MOVED INTO CLOSE RANGE, he would have STUCK THE GUN IN HIS FACE OR TO HIS HEAD! as Mr Medlock spoke on his phone. So much for Le Tuyau d’Incindie de la Mort.
I have seen people pull less than 20 years for murder. When I was a kid in Atmore shootings were a regular occurance at the state line, which 40 years ago was the home to about eight or ten barrooms. The Atmore radio station announced news of shootings there regularly. The bars are all gone now as are the shootings, stabbings ect. People did not recieve mandantory sentences back then.
Mr Floyd is gone for 20 years so everybody take a deep breath and relax and by the way Wrong I do not drink and at 11:12 AM I am pretty straight.
429SCJ – There is one question I would like you to think about. If you knew of someone who attempted to shoot another human being twice, would you want them walking the same street that you live on? The same street your children live on? The answer is no, this man clearly does not have any regard for human life, and should be in prison for the rest of his own life. I don’t understand why anyone would be sympathetic to a person who tried to shoot another human being not once, but twice? Just because he failed to wound the victim in a manner that would ruin the rest of his life? Someone has to lose an arm or leg for it to be attempted murder? Are you insane? You couldn’t have been thinking clearly when you wrote your comments.
Thats what he get, for wanting to go for bad, he wanted to be bad anyhow.
This guy is nuts! He says shooting a shotgun at someone from close range is meant to “Wound and intimidate” Any shotgun at close range will kill someone, and you can see the picture of the shot pattern. If that shot would have hit the victim, the victim would have sustained serious mortal wounds. THAT is why this is attempted murder. If he wanted to just “Intimidate” the victim, he should have shot in the air, not pointed directly at the guy and fire the gun. Just because he failed to kill the victim he should get 5 years? You are a joke, and your knowledge of the law and this case is seriously deficient.
“the gun being loaded with bird shot, there is not doubt that Mr Floyd intended to wound and intimidate.”
The above statement shows a complete lack of knowledge about firearms. At close range, a 12 Ga birdshot round will punch a hole as big as your fist because the “cloud” of shot has not had time to spread out and is capable of being extremely lethal, and not just “wounding”.
Look at size of the area of damage on the roof of that car. Looks to be about 2 or 3 inches wide. If Mr. Medlock had been hit by a charge of birdshot at that range, I doubt he’d be alive. A shotgun is not a “firehose of death” like in the movies that spreads in a fan from the muzzle…..
@429SCJ Are you kidding me? The shooter probably doesn’t even know the difference between buckshot and birdshot. I would be willing to bet money that the shotgun AND the bullets were stolen at one point. People are just stupid, very stupid. If you say that shooting a gun at someone and missing isn’t attempted murder, then what in the world is attempted murder? And not just shooting once, but chasing the victim and shooting again? Are you still drunk or something? What would make you say the judge’s sentence is too much? He rolled up to someone for no reason, and shot a SHOTGUN at them, attempting to kill them, not once but twice? Gun violence is not something taken lightly, and this sentence shows it. This is one of cases that is leading to us getting our constitutional right to own guns taken.Those of us who actually hunt and use guns properly, the way they were meant to be used, are losing our rights because of people like this. People who decide that it’s okay to go out in public and start shooting. Guns don’t kill people, PEOPLE kill people.
Guilty of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, not! attempted murder. Five years hard time is a long time. I believe based on what I had read in the previous article, the gun being loaded with bird shot, there is not doubt that Mr Floyd intended to wound and intimidate. The problem is that with bird shot a person would have to move into close range to kill with such a light load. Mr Floyd, had he wished to kill, would have walked right up to Mr Medlock as he spoke on his phone and stuck the gun in his face or to his head and killed him right then and there. I think the jury agreed as they chose to find Mr Floyd guilty on the ABDW charge as opposed to attempted murder. I remember pleanty of ABDW incidents down through the years around Atmore, Flomaton/Century. I just don’t remember anybody getting 20 years without loss of life or limb.
I am not questioning Judge Allen or saying this is not a serious crime. Im just saying that when a man with a shotgun plans murder, more often than not there is death. I reach that conclusion as an owner of shotguns, having fired them and witnessing their effect. Perhaps Mr Floyd is poor at killing and I have misjudged.
In any event he is off the street, out of sight/mind and it is almost time for lunch.
Judge Allen is one of those “no nonsense Judges when sentencing(most of the time).Good choice Judge Allen!
I’m with Flight Medic.
Never point a gun at someone unless you intend to shoot them.
Never shoot anything unless you intend to kill it.
Never kill anything unless you intend to eat it.
Well, okay, Flight Medic didn’t have that last part but it would cut down on murders if everyone kept that in mind because there are some things just not fit to eat.
Those teaching people to play with guns are pointing them down a wrong path.
David for buckshot
properly used
Floyd got what he deserved. If it wasn’t for all the evidence (witnesses, video, etc), I bet he could have found a good lawyer to make it look like he “Stood His Ground”. No such luck… enjoy your stay.
If you point a gun at a person and pull the trigger…. You INTEND TO KILL. Especially when you fire a second shot at someone “fleeing” the scene. To bad the system didn’t convict him of the original charge of attempted 1st degree murder.
To 429SCJ;
WOW! Are you crazy? If this would have been your son, would you still feel the same way? I doubt it. Anyone who pulls a gun and tries to shoot someone for no apparent reason needs to be locked up for a very long time! He could have easily killed Mr Medlock. Just lucky for us all, Mr Floyd isn’t a great shot!
I’m truly happy that you weren’t on the jury!
I think in spite of the agressive nature of this attack, Mr Floyd was given an excessive sentence. I feel that 5 years would have been adequate as if Mr Floyd had intended to kill, he would have moved in at close range and finished Mr Medlock.
Mandantory minimum, not much choice for Judge Allen. Mr Floyd should have thought about it for a moment.