[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 09/16/20]
LEESBURG, Florida — A man wanted for shooting his brother in Leesburg Friday was arrested in Eustis Sunday.
Shortly before 3:45 p.m. Friday, Leesburg Police responded to Talladega Street in reference to a shooting and found a man on Alabama Avenue who was suffering from a through-and-through gunshot wound to his right bicep, according to an arrest affidavit. He was transported to UF Health Leesburg for treatment and released.
The day of the shooting, the victim failed to provide any information to LPD, but a family member told police Michael “Mike Mike” Anthony Hodge Jr. shot the victim — his own brother — during an unknown dispute. She said Hodge, 29, was just released from prison and has a history of stealing, the affidavit states. Hodge is “not right in his mind,” after serving 10 years in prison, she told police. Florida Department of Corrections online records show Hodge was released from prison Aug. 22, after serving nearly a decade for armed robbery.
The following day, Saturday, the victim started cooperating with LPD; he said he met his brother in the yard at a home in the 900 block of Nebraska Street where a few people were hanging out.
“People often hang out in the front yard of this residence and there have been reports of multiple shootings at this location,” an LPD detective noted in the affidavit.
Hodge was holding a greenish blue handgun in his lap, and left and returned, the victim told police. After he returned, he began “ranting” and talking in “gibberish” and yelled “clear out,” and fired one shot. The victim said, “You shooting at me, bro?” Hodge is then alleged to have pointed the gun at the victim and shot him in the arm. In fear for his life, the victim fled the scene running through several yards and jumping multiple fences, according to the affidavit.
The victim went to a relative’s residence on Talladega Street and after feeling like he was not getting help fast enough, he left and was confronted by Hodge again. Hodge shot at him two more times but missed. The victim fled again and collapsed in the road where police found him.
Hodge was arrested Sunday in the 2000 block Bates Avenue in Eustis — the same block an unrelated shooting occurred late last month. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm in public. The arresting detective requested Hodge be held on no bond or a high bond amount due to his criminal history; at press time Wednesday, his bond was set at $212,000, according to Lake County Jail records.
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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]
