The Office of State Attorney Larry Basford announces that on April 28, 2021, a Bay County jury found Christopher Lee King guilty of Attempted Murder in the First Degree with a Firearm, 3 Counts of Attempted Manslaughter by Act with a Firearm, and Shooting Deadly Missiles into an Occupied Vehicle.
Evidence presented at trial proved that the Bay County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Callaway Heights 5 days after Hurricane Michael, to a report of a man shot. The victim was found to have been shot in the back of the head and life flighted via helicopter to Fort Walton for trauma surgery. The other 3 victims were King’s ex-wife and their two children, ages 3 and 5. King was enraged when his ex-wife came over to pick up their kids after the Hurricane. King demanded that the ex-wife not take the kids and retrieved his Glock 19 firearm. After the children were loaded in the victim’s truck, King began shooting multiple rounds at the truck and 4 occupants inside. One of his shots was to the driver, who was struck. This shot narrowly missed his 3-year-old daughter. The truck then crashed into a ditch and struck a power pole. The mother of the children was held at gunpoint and later ran off to call 911. Thankfully, the children were not injured during the shooting or the crash.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Peter Overstreet and Jacob Cook. Sentencing is set for May 13, 2021, before Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson.
For additional information, contact State Attorney Larry Basford.