JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A fight over a pool game at a Jacksonville bar ended with a man being shot twice — and now two people are behind bars, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Dennis Williams, 42, and Antoinette Upshaw, 38, both face charges stemming from a May 12 shooting at the New Neighborhood Tavern on Century St. Williams was arrested May 27. Upshaw was taken into custody nearly two months later, on July 22.
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Fight over pool game turns violent
According to the arrest affidavit for Williams, the incident began around 3 a.m. when the victim got into a verbal argument with a suspect over who was next to play pool.
The victim told detectives the suspect began threatening him and told him to step outside. The victim said he expected a fist fight — but the suspect pulled out a small handgun instead.
“He tried to back away from the situation, but the suspect pursued him while pointing the gun,” the affidavit states. The victim said he lunged for the gun but was shot. The two then fell to the floor, wrestling over the weapon.
According to the victim, he began to overpower the suspect when the situation took a second, more dangerous turn.
“The suspect started to yell ‘get him, shoot him’ and a black female produced a gun and shot [the victim] while he was on the ground,” the affidavit states. The victim said he then broke free and ran from the two suspects.
[RELATED: JSO searching for woman after man shot twice during fight at bar in Woodland Acres]
Witness account, surveillance video
A witness who said he came to the bar with the victim that night told detectives he saw the verbal altercation unfold. The witness said he thought the suspect and the victim were going to fight but saw the male suspect pull out a firearm. When the victim and suspect fell to the ground, the witness said he tried to help hold the firearm down — then heard shots and saw a female suspect with a gun. He said he backed away and ran to a backroom.
A business owner provided investigators with surveillance video from inside the bar. According to the affidavit, detectives watched the footage and observed the victim near the bar before a verbal altercation broke out off screen.
“The victim is then seen being pursued by the suspect with what appears to be a handgun in his hand, which is being pointed at the victim,” the affidavit states. The video shows the victim backing up, reaching for the firearm and the two becoming entangled. A gunshot is then heard on the recording.
Detectives said the video then shows a second female suspect approaching the two men on the ground and pulling out a firearm. Two additional gunshots are heard. The victim is then seen running away, while the male suspect is seen walking back into frame, also appearing to hold a firearm. Both suspects then leave the frame.
Officers respond, victim transported to hospital
JSO officers responded around 3 a.m. to the area of Century Street and Atlantic Boulevard and found the victim suffering from two gunshot wounds to the abdomen. He was transported to a local hospital, where his injuries were listed as stable. JSO said at the time that the victim was cooperating and speaking with detectives.
Neighbor, victim’s brother react
A business owner next door to the Neighborhood Tavern said he learned about the shooting when he arrived for work that morning.
“When I came in this morning there was some police car. Taped off from there. I couldn’t come into the place it was taped all over. I didn’t know exactly what happened I asked they told me an incident happened,” he said.
The victim’s brother also spoke with News4JAX, describing the shooting as an “unfortunate incident of tough guy-ness.” He said the victim was coming home from the hospital at the time of the original report.
JSO steps up patrols
In response to questions about recent incidents in the area at the time, JSO said it had increased its presence.
“They have stepped up manpower and targeted patrols in the area as a result. And, though we have not seen an increase in crime rates in the district, we understand instances such as this effect [sic] how citizens will view their surrounding community. As such, we will work hard to solve these particular crimes and continue to be visible and further reduce the potential for future incidents,” JSO said in a statement.
Investigation leads to two arrests
Detectives responded to Memorial Hospital and interviewed the victim, who was described as oriented and alert. Investigators also spoke with a witness and the business owner as part of the investigation.
A review of reports from a separate, prior incident at the New Neighborhood Tavern led detectives to Williams, whose physical description matched accounts provided by both the victim and a witness. A photo lineup was compiled and shown to both by an independent third party; both identified Williams as the male suspect.
Williams was arrested May 27 after being transported from the St. Johns County Jail to JSO’s Pretrial Detention Facility on a local arrest warrant. He faces two charges: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a second-degree felony, and aggravated assault, a third-degree felony. His bond was set at $200,006.
The investigation then turned to a second suspect. A local arrest warrant for Upshaw was issued July 16. She was taken into custody six days later by the U.S. Marshals Service at her home. Upshaw is charged with attempted murder in the second degree, a first-degree felony, with a bond set at $500,000.