A Central Florida man was recently convicted in the shooting of Bethune-Cookman University students.
After a two-day trial, a Volusia County jury found defendant William Phillips guilty of Attempted First-Degree Murder, Attempted Second-Degree Murder and Possession of Firearm by Convicted In-State Felon.
In the early morning hours of March 18, 2023, several physical altercations happened at a Daytona Beach bar. Once they ended, a group of four Bethune-Cookman University students drove back to campus. Phillips and his group also ended up there.
The defendant then confronted the students and shot up their vehicle. Two of the passengers, a 21-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, were struck by bullets.
The man was left paralyzed from the waist down. The woman recovered from her injuries at the hospital. Phillips was identified by a witness as the shooter and later arrested.
“Gun violence robbed one victim of their ability to walk and our other victim mercifully has fully recovered,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “The defendant should spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
The Daytona Beach Police Department investigated the case. Assistant State Attorney Kevin Sullivan successfully tried the case for the state. The Honorable Kathryn Weston presided over the case. Phillips faced up to life in prison for the crimes.
