A Wildwood man has been found guilty of killing a teen during a video game gathering at Royal Park.
A Sumter County jury this past week delivered a verdict of guilty against 26-year-old Bacarri Justice Austell for second-degree murder with a firearm.
The jury ultimately found Austell possessed and discharged a firearm in 2019, resulting in the death of a 16-year-old Chris’sean Williams. The incident unfolded at Royal Park, where Austell, during a video game gathering, pursued and fired four rounds at Williams fatally striking him in the head.
“The successful verdict of this case underscores the importance of teamwork, by numerous entities, in ensuring justice is served,” said William “Bill” Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “I’d like to extend my office’s sincerest appreciation to the collaborative efforts of the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, Sumter County Fire Rescue, Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Thank you for aiding us in our efforts to hold offenders accountable and give a voice to crime victims.”
Austell claimed he thought the victim was a person who had threatened him on a different day. In one of the many various statements he told law enforcement, Austell said he was in fear for his life and shot the victim.
Austell’s sentencing is anticipated in mid-December. He now faces a 25-year minimum mandatory sentence, with a maximum term of life imprisonment.
