Florida man used flamethrowers to resolve disputes

Vancouver

GAINESVILLE, Florida. – A Florida man angry about his neighbors’ parking habits sprayed fire from a commercial flamethrower on a car with three teenagers in it, police said. Nobody was hurt.

Andre Abrams, 57, of Gainesville, has faced three grievous bodily harm with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, according to court records. He left a $ 15,000 bond last week pending a decision on whether prosecutors will formally file a criminal complaint.

One of the teenagers’ mom, Ashley Gainey, said Abrams sprayed the flamethrower frequently to deter guests in her home. Gainey’s daughter Nate’talya Baker, 16, fled the car with her friends when Abrams continued to spray flames on them, police said.

“When he shoots at it, the whole street lights up,” said Gainey. “It’s like it’s light outside. He’ll do it in the middle of the night.”

In his arrest report, police identified the gun in the November 30 incident as an XM42 Lite flame thrower, which shoots flame up to 6 meters, and is manufactured by X Products LLC of Vancouver, Washington. It sells online for around $ 900.

“You’ve probably wondered if you can own a flamethrower, and you know what? You can! “The company said in a promotional video last year.” No permits or licenses required. “It says it is legal to buy and own in any state except Maryland or California.

The company – which also sells t-shirts that identify the wearer as a “petty terrorist” – requires buyers to accept a disclaimer and confirm that they have never been convicted of any crime, domestic violence, or arson. Abrams was sentenced twice for domestic offenses following arrests in 2002 and 2004.

It was not clear whether the police had confiscated the flamethrower.

Abrams said in a brief telephone interview that he could not discuss the case without consulting a lawyer as he feared he would be evicted from his home by the local housing authority. Alachua District District Judge Meshon T. Rawls formally approved his public defender petition, according to court files filed Tuesday.

There are no federal laws in the United States that regulate the sale of flamethrowers that are not considered firearms. A New York congressman introduced a restrictive bill that he said, “Flamethrowers? Really? “In 2019, but the measure failed. Florida prohibits the manufacture or sale of shotgun shells called” Dragon Breath, “which mimic flamethrowers by firing a flame or fireball.

Abrams admitted the incident stemmed from a longstanding parking dispute with a neighboring family. Police said he admitted shooting the vehicle with the flamethrower but denied targeting the teenagers.

“This family, how should I put it – the worst that can ever happen to a neighborhood,” Abrams said. “You had problems with other residents and that needs to be brought to light.”

The driver of the parked car, Amari Singleton, told police she and her two passengers saw Abrams approach them with the flamethrower and start spraying fire. According to the police, flames broke up to five meters around the vehicle when it escaped through the passenger door.

“You better not burn my car,” Singleton said, according to police.

Gainey, the mother of one of the teenagers, said she confronted him during the incident.

“He shot her,” she said. “When I got to the door, he was still shooting at it. I asked him: ‘What’s your problem?’ “

___

This story was produced by Fresh Take Florida, a news service for the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications. The reporter can be reached at [email protected].