MACON, Ga. — A Macon couple says the noises they heard just before the Fourth of July were gunshots aimed at their home. They say they're terrified to stay in their own home. And this isn't the first time they've heard gunshots.
It's not too unusual to hear a couple of fireworks going off around the Fourth of July, but on June 29– William Jackson says he heard pops that were not welcome.
A shattered sense of security.
At 2 a.m., Jackson said he and his wife Sharon were asleep at their home on Mickey Drive in East Macon.
"We were awakened by what we thought were firecrackers or fireworks," Jackson said. "Then I got up; I realized that my house had gotten shot up."
Their security camera footage shows someone pulling up, walking up the driveway, and firing away.
"Weapons fired over 50-60 rounds. I felt violated. My wife is not comfortable in the house, he hasn't been sleeping at night, and it's just horrible," he said.
Jackson says Bibb Sheriff's deputies told them the weapon seemed semi-automatic, like an AK-47 or an AR-15.
"Then, when I heard it this time, I knew exactly what it was," Jackson said.
Around the same time Wednesday morning, 13 days after the first shooting, there were more gunshots.
"Glass shattered in the bedroom window. I thought I had been hit, but it was just glass that hit my arms. So, we both hit the floor. My wife was on the floor crying and shaking. I mean, it's just terrifying," Jackson said.
The sense of security in their neighborhood was shattered.
"It was a nice and quiet, nice area. I'm not familiar with any gang activity out here going on," he said. "The neighborhood has changed some over the past 20 years, not for the best, but it's not a terrible place to live. Now, I may have to consider selling my house and relocating."
He says he thinks the shooters are targeting the wrong house.
"We go to work, we go to church, and we come home, and we don't bother anybody. This shouldn't happen to anyone. Any house that gets shot up like this is the wrong house," Jackson said.
Between the two shootings, deputies found more than 100 shots were fired.
Jackson says deputies told them the shooters may be mistaking their home for another. They say they'll stay somewhere else for a couple of days.
13WMAZ contacted the Bibb County Sheriff's Office for more information.
They said reports were filed both times the house was fired at. They're following up on these shootings through the Violent Crimes and Gangs unit and are proactively patrolling the area.
They say they believe the Jacksons were not the intended targets of the shooting.
Here is the full statement:
"On 06-29-2023 at 1:52 a.m., the house at 3926 Mickey Drive was fired upon by unknown subjects using high-powered weapons. The first responding deputy was dispatched at 2:10 a.m., and he arrived at 2:29 a.m. The deputy checked the area and cleared the call. The call was re-dispatched at 2:49 a.m., and the unit arrived on the scene at 3:45 a.m. The investigating deputy prepared a report, collected evidence and got back in service. On 07-12-2023, the house at 3926 Mickey Drive was fired upon again by unknown subjects using high-powered weapons. The deputy was dispatched at 4:05 a.m. and arrived at 4:42 a.m. Again, the evidence was collected, and a report was prepared.
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office is following up on these incidents through investigation by the Violent Crimes and Gang Units. Proactive patrol will be done in this area by the Sheriff's Response Team. At this point in the investigation, nothing shows that Mr. Williams nor anyone at his residence are the intended targets of these incidents. The Crime Gun Apprehension Team is following up on the forensic evidence to help determine possible suspects. Anyone with any information about these incidents is asked to call the Bibb County Sheriff's Office at 478-751-7500. No further information is available at this time."