Prepare to be shocked! A Florida man is now in police custody following a horrifyingly violent attack on his own mother and teenage daughter. Reports indicate that Michael Banks actually shot his mom, a close friend of hers, and his 17-year-old daughter after revealing his sickening desire for an incestuous relationship with the teenager.
Edito’rs Note: The following text contains incidents of violence, abuse, and parental abuse that may be triggering. If you need help or want to report child abuse and neglect, visit the Child Welfare Information Gateway or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1.800.422.4453.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Banks informed police that he had actually written a letter to his daughter “insisting she enter into a relationship with him and not date anyone else.” Last Wednesday, the 42-year-old shot his 60-year-old mother and her 52-year-old friend, Josephine Muentes, inside a home, as per police reports.
As per an affidavit, Banks overheard his mother and Muentes discussing plans to leave with the teen. According to records, the mother later informed the police that she was actually thinking about kicking her son out when he unleashed his violent attack.
Despite that, it’s clear that the man was seriously disturbed by their alleged conversation. His response was to shoot both women with a handgun. Banks’ intent was to kill his mother, as he aimed for her head and upper torso. He initially shot her friend in the head, then fired at his own mother, grazing her head.
The police were called around 12:42 p.m. local time, and they encountered the mother and teenager outside of the home. Banks had also injured his daughter with gunfire. The daughter and her grandmother were fortunate enough to survive their wounds.
RELATED: Prayers Up! Teen Shoots Older Sister Following Dispute Over Christmas Gifts
Florida Man Shoots Daughter After Grandma Discusses Separating Him From Her
As mentioned, Michael Banks reportedly admitted to demanding an exclusive, intimate relationship with his 17-year-old in a letter.
At the time of the first two shootings, Banks’ daughter was in the shower. Upon hearing the shots, she quickly tried to secure the bathroom door, but her father shot through it “at approximately head level,” as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. It’s not clear how she managed to escape the home, but she told police that she was shot by the Florida man as she was attempting to flee, sustaining a wound to her leg.
Upon arrival at the scene, police engaged in a shootout with Banks. Miraculously, no bullets hit Banks or any of the officers at the scene. The gunfight didn’t last long before the 42-year-old gave up.
As a result of the shootings, he now faces five charges, including “one count of first-degree murder with a firearm, two counts of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, one count of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm, and one count of illegally possessing a firearm as a felon.”
Back in 2007, according to PEOPLE, Michael Banks was found guilty of aggravated battery on a pregnant woman — one of two convictions for a violent crime.