JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A former Jacksonville corrections officer claims he acted in self-defense in the Sept. 10 shooting that sent his wife to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, according to court records.
Irish Andrews, 52, is charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, Duval County court records show. He has pleaded not guilty to both counts and has filed court papers to have the case dismissed.
Recommended Videos
Andrews is seeking immunity from prosecution under Florida's "stand your ground" law, which holds that someone has no obligation to retreat and may use force when their safety is threatened.
Officers were called to the couple's Weeping Branch Circle home about 7:30 p.m. Sept. 10, where they found the woman shot multiple times. She was taken to the hospital, while he was taken into custody.
In a motion filed by attorney Gerald Wilkerson, Andrews claims an argument between the couple escalated when his spouse attacked him while carrying a coat hanger as he yelled for her to stop.
The motion states that Andrews feared for his safety because he knew “his wife had stabbed" someone in the past. When she refused to stop, it says, he fired four "indiscriminate" rounds toward her.
The same motion contends that Andrews' wife has since reached out through family members and apologized, indicating she does not want her husband to face prosecution.
Two children, who were present but not hurt during the incident, witnessed what took place and heard Andrews call for his wife to stop multiple times, according to the motion.
Andrews, a former corrections officer, was recognized in 2015 for 25 years of service with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. He has a pretrial hearing scheduled for Oct. 17.