Man, 84, Accused of Shooting Son After Getting Upset Over Lack of Visits

An 84-year-old Florida man has been charged with attempted murder after police said he shot his son in the face.

According to reports from Florida Today and ClickOrlando, William Nowak of Palm Bay, Fla., located about 75 miles outside Orlando, was arrested on Tuesday, Dec. 9, following an alleged dispute involving his family at his house.

A probable cause affidavit obtained by the outlets states that police were dispatched to the home, located on the 1600 block of Hawksbill Street, just after 7:30 p.m. local time, following reports of a shooting.

Detective Nicole Brown wrote in the document that Nowak lived with his 85-year-old wife and their 62-year-old daughter. Nowak reportedly took care of them both, as his wife had been placed on in-home hospice care and their daughter has a disability.

Nowak’s son and his wife came to visit the home on Dec. 9, and she told officers that the 84-year-old began to tell the couple that he was upset because they hadn’t visited over the weekend — though the two visited the house weekly, per the outlets.

Nowak and his son began to argue, and Nowak allegedly said, “Get out of my house or I’m going to shoot you,” per the affidavit.

Police alleged that Nowak then entered his bedroom, retrieved a handgun and walked past his son’s wife. He then arrived in the home’s kitchen and shot his son in the face before going back into the bedroom and coming back without the gun, according to the son’s wife.

The 84-year-old then said, “What just happened?” and began crying and screaming.

The victim was taken to the hospital and was sedated due to his injuries, per ClickOrlando. The bullet struck him in the face and became fragmented, sticking in his face and jaw. Nowak was also hospitalized for high blood pressure, per the outlet.

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Nowak has been charged with attempted murder, according to the outlets. He has since been booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, Fla.

He made his first court appearance on Thursday, Dec. 11, and a judge appointed him a public defender and ruled he would be held on no bond.