Arrest made in December shooting in Avenues Mall parking lot

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 29-year-old Jacksonville man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with a shooting Dec. 1 in the parking lot of the Avenues Mall.

The shooting sent a young man to the hospital in critical condition.

According to the arrest report, Michael Williams and the victim knew each other.

The victim told police that the two had been best friends — until a falling out over a woman years ago.

Williams and the victim ran into each other at the mall on the afternoon of Dec. 1, and the victim told JSO he wanted to repair the friendship.

Williams was unreceptive, and the two got into an argument and shoving match in the parking lot.

Then the man was shot in the face. The victim ran inside the mall to get help and members of the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department showed up a short time later and took him to a hospital.

Videos shared with News4JAX show police tape and what appears to be blood on the floor inside the food court.

The victim and a witness picked Williams out of a photo line-up.

Williams was arrested Saturday and is being held on a $250,000 bond.