DeLAND, Fla. – A former high school football standout was arrested in a shooting at a DeLand bar that left a man dead and a bartender wounded, police said.
Officers and Volusia County deputies responded around 1:30 a.m. Saturday to McCabe’s Bar along N. Amelia Avenue, the DeLand Police Department said in a news release.
Witnesses told investigators that a fist fight broke out between several men in the bar and led to one of them pulling out a firearm and shooting, the release states.
On Monday, police announced they had arrested 24-year-old Avantae Williams, who they say shot 32-year-old Keshod Harris, of DeLand, six times in the chest, out of seven shots fired in total.
Harris died after being taken to a hospital, according to police. The bartender, who was also shot, was hospitalized for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, having been hit in both hands, police said.
Williams, who played football at DeLand High School, signed with the Miami Hurricanes in 2020 and most recently played for the University of Maryland.
Williams was booked into the Volusia County jail on no bond and is expected to face a judge on Tuesday.
“Based on our investigation, the bartender was trying to intervene. She saw the altercation transpire. She went over to try to break it up. Once the perpetrator was able to break free from the fight, the perpetrator pulled out a gun and it appears to me that the perpetrator did not care who was around. He pulled out a gun and his intended target was in front of him, and that’s who he wanted to shoot, and it didn’t matter who was around, obviously, he shot the bartender,” DeLand police Capt. Prurince Dice said during a news conference. “She was trying to intervene and trying to do a good deed and ended up being shot. I’m not sure if she’s still in the hospital right now, but I do know that she went for treatment and she’s doing very well.”
The bar had about 30 to 40 people in it when the shooting occurred, according to Dice. Citing preliminary information, he said that the shooter and the victim were part of two different groups that entered the bar one after the other.
“One group came in first, the second group came in moments later. They all met, sat at a table and talked, and then appears to be a disagreement and a fight broke out,” Dice said, adding the groups appeared to be no larger than four or five people each.
The weapon, which was not recovered, appeared to have been a concealed .40 caliber, though Dice said there was also evidence found outside of the bar of a smaller-caliber round being fired at some point.
“So, there‘s probably two guns (that were used),” Dice said.
The suspect ran away, possibly fleeing in a vehicle, according to police.
“I can tell you, based on historical information and based on having interactions with these individuals in the past, that they knew each other,” he said. “(...) We’re reviewing all the footage right now as we speak and I believe we’re going to be fortunate in solving this pretty quickly.”
“It didn’t have to come to that. They were friends and that was personal,” said Kenttesha Harris, Keshod Harris’ cousin, who told us the pain of losing him is unbearable.
“He was so young. He had his whole life ahead of him. His only son, now he doesn’t have a father,” she said. “He would do anything for anybody, he’s a good friend. A loving father, a loving brother, loving cousin, nephew. He was our heart.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact the DeLand Police Department or to submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers. Tips can also be made out to DeLand police or the Volusia Sheriff’s Office by calling 386-626-7400. Emails to Detective Jackson Miller at millerja@deland.org were also encouraged.
Watch the news conference again in the video player below or by clicking here.