Florida

Woman saved from shots to the head when gun jams

 

Bradenton Herald

A Bradenton man is facing attempted murder and a host of other charges after firing a gun inside a home, police say.

Bradenton police say 35-year-old Juan Fernando Leyva of Bradenton arrived at a home in Bradenton about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday to charge a cell phone. Upon seeing the man and a woman relative who live in the residence, Leyva went up to the male victim and began striking him in the face, the report states.

The woman then tried to hold Leyva to prevent him from striking the male victim. Leyva pulled a black handgun from his pocket and fired a round, striking the front door, the report states.

According to police, this is what happened:

The male victim then began running out the door, resulting in another missed shot from Leyva, but before Leyva could follow, the female grabbed his trousers and hung on.

When the woman refused to let go, Leyva tried to shoot her in the head three or four times but the gun jammed.

After the gun jammed, Leyva punched the woman in the face and tried to strangle her with a phone cord.

About this time, police arrived, responding to a 911 call placed by one of the three children of the woman, who were also in the home.

Leyva, who has a long police record including carjacking with a firearm in 2011, was arrested and charged with attempted murder in the second degree, three counts of child abuse, domestic battery and other charges.

He is being held in the Manatee County jail in lieu of $290,750 in bond.

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