An elderly couple is dead, and a young woman is recovering after a tragic shooting unfolded in a quiet West Melbourne neighborhood Wednesday evening. The couple’s 22-year-old grandson, Jeremyah Campbell, has been apprehended and charged with the fatal attack.
Around 8 p.m., the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office rushed to a home near the intersection of Washington Street and Milwaukee Avenue after receiving many 911 calls reporting a shooting.
According to investigators, George White, 83, escaped to his neighbor Terry French’s house after his wife, Mary White, 81, was shot inside their home. George, who was wounded and in need of assistance, informed the French of the unfolding violence.
“George was standing here inside the door, and we had it locked so nobody could get in,” French told local reporters. “Somebody over in this area, I think, had a 9-millimeter, and he put these holes in the door.”
According to deputies, Campbell followed his grandfather to a neighbor’s house and shot several rounds into it. Both George White and French’s 25-year-old granddaughter, who was inside the house calling 911, sustained injuries.
“I think that one there is what got George,” French said, pointing to a bullet hole. “Then he went into the bathroom, you see the bathroom there, shut the door, and that was it.”
Mary White was discovered dead at her house. George White eventually died from his injuries. According to local NBC affiliate WESH, the 25-year-old woman who was shot remains in the hospital but is expected to recover.
Witnesses described the scene as terrifying. “Five gunshots, a pause, then the last one,” recalled neighbor Shea Stewart. “Then, I heard the scream of a woman.” Authorities say the motive for the shooting remains unclear. Public Information Officer Tod Goodyear said the initial violence began inside the White residence.
“At this point, we believe the initial event occurred inside the residence, and we do not know exactly why that occurred and what led up to it,” Goodyear stated.
Campbell, who is originally from Texas, had apparently spent the previous five days at his grandparents’ West Melbourne house. His unexpected entrance and violent acts have left family members perplexed.
French, still reeling from the loss of his neighbors, described the Whites as model citizens. “George and Mary, to me, were probably some of the best neighbors I ever had,” he said. “He’d do anything for you.”
Jeremyah Campbell is charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and shooting into an occupied dwelling. He is being jailed without bond and is set to appear in court Friday afternoon.
