ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Officers arrested two people last weekend after an argument that led to shots being fired into a car with children inside.
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, it happened Feb. 25 in a church parking lot. According to the arrest report, Shaniqwa Shantae Copeland, 21, and Darnell Marsarn Crosby Hines, 25, were in an argument with a man who fired four shots from a pistol at Copeland’s car, striking it twice.
The man, described as the “victim” in the report, told police that Copeland crashed into his car while trying to run him over. Hines, who was sitting in Copeland’s car, got out and threaten the man with a large stick, according to the report.
Copeland’s children, a 5-month-old and a 15-month-old, were both in the car when the man fired the shots.
Haddiyya McKenzie lives nearby and said violence in the area has gotten out of control.
"It makes me feel like people today, they are being thoughtless. There are little children out here, and there are children playing up and down these roads, and it’s just really frightening," McKenzie said. "I feel like there needs to be a big impact change."
Authorities said the man was not arrested for firing shots at Copeland’s car because he was in fear for his life.
Copeland and Hines were arrested and charged with aggravated assault and cruelty towards a child.