Candance Ashley McCall, 28, and Letita Crimes, 33, both of Shady Oaks Drive in Palm Coast, are in jail on several aggravated battery and illegal weapons charges after allegedly threatening to shoot three boys–two of them 13 years old, one of them 15–after a 13-year-old knocked at the women’s door by mistake Thursday evening.
Crimes and McCall, one carrying a .9mm the other a .25 caliber Baretta–neither woman had a concealed weapon permit–approached the three boys, two of whom had been fishing at a pond, and allegedly threatened, “You all ready to die? Why you knock on my door?” The women, their arrest report states, “also racked the slide on the firearms.” One of the boys said Crimes took a bullet out of the magazine to show it to the boys before placing the bullet back into the magazine, and the magazine back into the gun, though when cops arrested the women, the guns were not loaded. When the women left and the boys went up to their apartments, the women pursued them again, knocking on their door.
Crimes and McCall told Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies they had been on edge because they claimed to have been the victims of a scam on Craigslist, the online classified advertising service. The suspect in the case “was living out of state, but had their address,” they told deputies, according to their arrest report. The women bought the guns as a result, they said. They were in their apartment (Number 205 in Building 555) when they heard a knock at the door–what they described as “pounding.” They armed themselves, thinking it could be related to the Craigslist incident. Then they saw a boy running away.
McCall said the boy looked 10 or 11.
But the women decided to confront the boy then tell his parents what happened. It’s not clear why they had felt threatened by a 10 or 11-year-old’s knock at the door (the boy is 13), or why they felt compelled to tell the child’s parents that he’d knocked at their door.
Both women admitted to confronting three boys at the edge of a pond and that as they did so, they held their guns and showed them to the boys to scare them. McCall told deputies the boys “were not supposed to know the gun was unloaded,” according to the arrest reports. Crimes said she told the boys it was no joke, and not to knock on her door again. She admitted to taking out the magazine, but only to check that the gun was unloaded, she claimed to cops. The women knew the boys were not involved in the incident on Craigslist, they told deputies.
The boy whoi’d knocked at the women’s door initially had been looking for a friend. “Stay away, I have a gun,” witnesses said they heard the women say.
The women told police they’d been afraid, which is why they had the guns. “However, their actions did not corroborate this statement,” the arrest report concludes. “McCall and Crimes left the safety of their home with firearms to confront the boy with, as they claim, unloaded guns. Neither of them called the police. After the first time confronting the boy they went to [one of the boys’] apartment and knocked on the door to make contact with someone. They also went to confront the boys twice. Neither McCall or Crimes stated they saw the boys with any weapons.”
Each woman was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and a count of illegally carrying a concealed weapon. They remained at the Flagler County jail Friday afternoon on $8,000 bond each.
Freddy says
These are the type of people that should be banned from owning guns.
Anonymous says
These are exactly the kind of people that the NRA is defending the notion of having as many guns as they feel necessary to “protect themselves.”
dave st. clair says
NRA had nothing to do with this,,,, poor judgment by the women. Ignorance is bliss.
Dangerous says
These two woman better have there gun rights revoked. Also their family members should be evaluated to make sure they are stable minded and don’t own guns also. These women obviously come from degenerate gene’s
one furious mom says
No it’s not – they defend legal SANE gun carrying. These women were stupid enough to think that if at some point their guns weren’t loaded, it was ok to wave them around like vigilante’s. No-one defends illegal gun use and the blatant HUNTING of children with guns to scare them. Let’s not make this about gun laws and opinions – the fact of the matter is these grown women hunted down children – no matter what was in their hand be it a gun or a knife or a damn bat – there is no justification for their behavior. Have any questions before you all assume – feel free to ask – I was there! I have the 13 year old that had to go through this.
JenS says
It is the NRA & their supporters’ liberal & free range stance on gun ownership that prohibits rational, necessary & long overdue reviews on gun regulation policies from even enacted. A direct result of this is exactly the reason INSANE people are able to obtain guns.
anthony says
i was the 15 year old
Anominity ike says
So what really happened??
Anonymous says
I agree with you 100%. You’re absolutely right
Bill says
im not positive on it BUT would think if they are convicted on the multiple counts of aggravated assault and a count of illegally carrying a concealed weapon they will NOT be legally allowed to own one.
Bill says
Im not a member of the NRA or a gun owner BUT I don’t see how you say CRIMMINAL acts are what it or other legal gun owners want? They have been charged with three counts of aggravated assault and a count of illegally carrying a concealed weapon.
markingthedays says
I’m not a gun guy by any means, but I feel like the concealed weapons charges are unfounded. Unless I read the story wrong, the weapons weren’t “concealed”. Quite the opposite actually.
One furious mom says
What really happened is a young child knocked on their door by mistake looking for a friend. They yelled through the door they had guns. Scared- he ran out of the building to join his friends at the pond and tell them. These psychotic women then proceeded to go to pond show their gun to the boys, remove a bullet saying “you think this is fake?” Replaced it, racked it and asked “are you ready to die?”- the boys managed to part from this situation to my apartment getting one of the boys older brothers. When the oldest boy (21yo) came down to listen to this most unbelievable story- he watched as these two women walked across parking lot both with gun in tow approaching them. He ran the boys upstairs locked them in my bedroom as they were already on with 911 and proceeded to arm himself (legally) lock the door and listen as they banged on the door. Those are facts!!
Anonymous says
Even if they were a concealed weapons carrier- if they knew the laws – you do not expose your firearm in a threatening manner. There was no 911 call from the women when they “feared” the knocking – and leaving their home and HUNTING children is NEVER justified.
Outsider says
How did they get the guns out to the pond where the boys were? Did they carry them openly or did they conceal them? I doubt they walked across the complex with guns in the open to confront the boys, so I imagine this is why they are charged with concealing weapons. They should also be charged with improper exhibition of a firearm. These are not lawful gun owners; they sound like a couple of dopes to me. It would be interesting to know more about their backgrounds, specifically if they have been arrested before.
One furious mom says
They walked out in the open not only to the pond but also to my home. And as a sidenote what difference does it make they pulled a bullet out cock the gun and ask boys if they were ready to die I don’t care if it was shoved up their behind to get there – the fact of the matter is two grown women hunted and threatened young children! PERIOD
Anominity ike says
Where does the aggravated assault come into play? No one was ever touched or harmed…?
One furious mom says
What charge would you suggest for threatening a child with a loaded gun?
jbeagles says
some of the comments from people are so ignorant! I would suggest reading on the laws, you’ll see what an aggravated assault is!
ThreeEighty says
Assault is threatening. Battery is touching.
Watch Your Kids says
Not saying that any child should go through this, BUT maybe if the parents watched their kids in the Integra Complex and didn’t let them run rampant, this could have been avoided…
Enough already says
No these are the type of people who should be BANNED from society.
Enough already says
Then what would yor ‘political ” statement have been if they threatened them with knives or tried to run them over? Why are we so quick to place the blame on the weapon instead of the person using it? Because then we would have to own up to the fact that as a society we are failing miserably.
Anominity ike says
Unlawful display of an illegal firearm
One furious mom says
And what about threatening and then hunting children down with them?
markingthedays says
Good point. They probably weren’t waving them all over the place until they pulled them out on the boys. Is brandishing a thing in Florida? Either way, a couple of crazies without a doubt.
crazy ladies says
But I don’t think anyone was hunting anyone, I keep reading ,these women were hunting children, I don’t think they were hunting, by the way would it hurt anyone if you needed a background check before you buy your gun? Don’t see how that could hurt the situations
one furious mom says
What exactly would you call following children to the pond with a firearm? What would you call then going to the childs home and banging on their door? Look up the word hunting – it’s the activity of searching for something. Background checks are done for LEGAL gun owners of the said guns they had in hand. At least I had them done. Those of us who purchase guns legally for protection or sport, go through the classes get the certificates and know the laws are not normally the problem. And again – regardless of the weapon involved – their behavior with or without a gun was unacceptable, frightening for the children and inexcusable.
NortonSmitty says
The kids knocked on the door by mistake? This is also the way they check to see if anybody is home before robbing the place.
Shawn says
Incorrect!
Anominity ike says
Thry know whos door is and isnt thr right one. More to the story. Those apts you cant knock on a wrong door by mistake…
One furious mom says
Why can’t you knock on the wrong door by mistake if you’re not sure which one your friend lives in? Regardless – you don’t follow a child out to the pond with a loaded weapon and make threats and you sure as hell don’t follow them up to MY apartment and knock threatening. No justification
the 13 year old says
the aggravated assault part came in when they pointed the gun at me and my friends thank you very much.
One furious mom says
I’m one of the moms- and kids out playing and fishing is not running rampant. Should they be inside their tiny apartments playing video games out of sight out of mind?!?! That’s a ridiculous comment. Damned if you do damned if you don’t- kids out playing using imagination. These kidsactually started their own little business helping the tenants with their trash. So I personally resent such a asinine comment.
Anonymous says
Hello there everyone! I’m Cadance!!! The white “thug” girl in the picture! Thankfully, we WERE NOT convicted and I have EVERY right to own a firearm if I wish…my civil rights have not been taken away nor will they ever be…Can you believe I don’t even know how to load a gun nor have I ever nor has Letitia?!?! These “boys” were up to no good and I was on my evening lunch break home from work…These boys had no idea that I was in the middle of a life threatening Craig’s list investigation when they pulled this little prank. We were scared out of our minds and had only owned the guns 6 days prior to the incident!!!