How Africa News
After entering a no contest plea to three counts of aggravated assault with a handgun, a White couple accused of opening fire on a Black man and his 10-year-old son as the victims were returning a U-Haul vehicle were given a 33-month prison sentence.
The Tallahassee Democrat reports that Wallace and Beverly Fountain were found guilty following their plea on April 27. The couple’s Tallahassee strip mall is where the shooting in August 2020 took place.
Charles McMillon Jr. and his 10-year-old son were shot by the Fountains, who were allegedly watching their property, after they had driven there to drop off a rented van. The guilty couple claimed their company had been targeted by thieves and vandals at the time of the shooting.
Despite the fact that McMillon and his son were unharmed, the shooting devastated the Black victims. In addition, the senior McMillon described the shooting as a case of racial profiling.
The victims’ attorney, Charles Gee, stated in a press release that the prison terms given to the White pair gave the McMillons “a sense of closure after going through such a harrowing experience.”
“The family is grateful that justice has been served, and they hope that their story can serve as a reminder of the importance of seeking justice for victims and their families,” Gee added. “As convicted felons, Beverly and Wallace Fountain will not only spend the next 33 months in the DOC but they will also never be able to possess a firearm, bringing a measure of justice to the family and the community at large.”
However, the Fountains plan to appeal the ruling and sentence, per the Tallahassee Democrat.
