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Inset: Francis Tully Jr. (Pasco County Jail). Background: Home in Spring Hill, Florida, where Tully allegedly shot at his wife and two others (Google Maps).
A Florida man fired 27 shots at his wife and her friends who were trying to make sure she got home safely after she left for a few days because of his “temper and history of violence,” police say.
Francis Edward Tully Jr., 58, stands accused of three counts of attempted murder in a shooting that occurred shortly before midnight on July 15 in Spring Hill. The Pasco County Sheriff”s Office wrote in a probable cause arrest affidavit that it responded to a home in the 18000 block of Deason Drive, where they found multiple shell casings.
At least five rounds were fired through a front-facing window and more rounds were fired from throughout the interior. Post-Miranda, Tully allegedly admitted to shooting at the three people because he believed his wife had been “taken.” Tully claimed he wanted to “scare them” and said the shots he fired made the victims “run like banshees,” per the affidavit.
Tully made conflicting statements about whether anyone was armed or tried to come inside the home, cops wrote. At first, he claimed one of the people had a gun, but later denied it, the complaint said.
Tully’s alleged calls to 911 did not help his self-defense claim. He allegedly told dispatchers he was “ready to blow their heads off” and said, “if they come back again, they’re dead.”
The victim told deputies she had left for a few days due to ongoing marital issues and she was afraid to come home, police said. She met a man and a woman outside a store who agreed to take her home so she could arrive safely. She remained inside the car, waved at her husband and had the woman walk up to the front door to let him know she was home, the affidavit said.
As the woman walked up, Tully allegedly fired four rounds at her, sending her running back to the car. He continued to fire shots as she ran away, striking the vehicle and nearly hitting the male victim, according to the affidavit. No one was hit by the gunfire.
The victims confirmed they were not armed and made no threats.
Deputies arrested Tully and took him to the Pasco County Jail, where he remains on a $450,000 bond. He pleaded not guilty and was assigned a public defender.
