[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 12/28/20]
TAVARES, Florida — The man accused of firing multiple shots in Rosewood Condominiums Wednesday night is behind bars and facing additional charges.
Isaiah Antwan McNealy, who just turned 18 in October, was picked up on a warrant stemming from the incident Wednesday, according to a probable cause affidavit. He is also facing charges of possession of marijuana more than 20 grams and possession of drug equipment. On Saturday, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Rodeway Inn, 20329 U.S. Highway 27, Clermont and found McNealy and a bag containing 29 grams of marijuana and an additional 1.6 pounds of marijuana was located in a safe found in a vehicle McNealy was recently seen driving.
Tavares Police Department responded to Rosewood Condominiums off Dead River Road, shortly before 6:30 p.m. in reference to a man brandishing a gun that was possibly stolen, the affidavit states. McNealy is alleged to have left the area but quickly returned and fired off eight shots that were heard by a responding TPD officer. Officers did not see McNealy in the area but did see people with children fleeing and running towards their front doors, according to the affidavit.
Officers set up a perimeter but were unable to locate McNealy the night of the incident. The following day, Christmas Eve, McNealy’s uncle went to TPD and said he was at Rosewood Condominiums visiting his sister and his nephew, McNealy. The victim said he attempted to give McNealy a hug concerning past issues involving gun stolen from the victim’s wife in 2018, according to the affidavit.
The victim told police when he attempted to hug McNealy, McNealy said, “Man, get away me with that,” and brandished a firearm. The victim confronted McNealy about his use of firearms and narcotics and McNealy pulled the gun back out and allegedly said, “I’ll shoot you, I’ll shoot you.” The victim called 9-1-1 and when McNealy realized he was on the phone he said, “Bring them, I’ll shoot them up too. It don’t matter.”
McNealy then left in a car with an unidentified female and quickly returned and “amped himself up to shoot me,” the victim told police. He said McNealy then said, “It’s about to go down, bring ‘em down here, we will shoot everybody up.” A second, unidentified subject then arrived at the condo with a firearm beneath his right armpit. The victim told police he believed McNealy was attempting to buy the gun and the unidentified person said, “Don’t shoot up Rosewood, but handle your business,” and McNealy reportedly replied, “Oh yeah, I’m about to.”
Several more people arrived on scene and the victim, fearing for his life, gathered up his family and yelled, “I love you; I love you,” to McNealy as the victim got into his truck. McNealy then yelled, “I don’t care about no love, church love, nobody’s love. I’m about to light this b up.” McNealy and his mother began arguing and the victim drove away, hearing multiple shots as he drove away.
McNealy then fled the scene and despite more than 20 law enforcement officers responding and setting up a perimeter, he evaded capture until he was picked up by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office on the TPD warrant on Saturday.
McNealy is facing a trio of charges, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, discharging a firearm in public and aggravated assault with a firearm, in addition to the drug charges. He is being held in the Lake County Jail on no bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
