MACON, Ga. — An East Macon woman is in the hospital after investigators say her husband shot her Sunday. The Sheriff’s Office says the 75-year-old is now in stable condition.
Her husband, 70-year-old Eddie Gene Williams, made his first appearance in court Monday. He’s charged with aggravated assault.
Several people in the Alandale Avenue neighborhood expressed shock over the news.
The Williams had lived in their east Macon home for over 30 years. Neighbors described the couple as well-known in the community and always willing to give a helping hand. They say there were no red flags about abuse.
The Sheriff’s Office says the same.
13WMAZ obtained Williams’ arrest warrant where investigators described what they say led to the shooting.
Investigators write in the warrant that Williams was trying to get the passcode to his wife’s phone. The wife told investigators that when she refused, Williams grabbed his gun and shot her once in the side.
This is at least the second shooting in Macon in less than a week where investigators say a woman was shot by their significant other.
Wednesday, 36-year-old Appolonia Collins drove her boyfriend’s car to the Chevron gas station on Eisenhower Parkway.
The incident report says her boyfriend for the past six years got a ride to the gas station, shot her in the face, and pulled her out of the car. The report says he got in his car and drove away.
“This has happened twice in this week. It really draws attention to the problem,” said Jamie Bormann with Crisis Line & Safe House.
Bormann as well as Amanda Cook with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office say people need to recognize certain red flags—signs that the abuse could escalate to physical violence.
“Being overly possessive or jealous,” Bormann mentioned as a red flag.
“Controlling behavior with your money, your actions, who you speak to. Definitely isolating from your friends and family… isolating you from the outside world… not allowing you to work,” Cook said.
Bormann says often, a couple could appear to be in a loving relationship when abuse may be happening behind closed doors.
“They're holding on to hope that the person who says that they love them can be that person, again can be that partner can be the person that they first met, and that they aren't really this abusive person,” Bormann said.
Bormann says abuse victims often confide in a friend or family member. She says to talk about a safe way to get away from the relationship.
It’s also important if you are that friend or family member, to know the resources like Crisis Line and Safe House.
Their 24/7 line is (478) 745-9292.
We’re taking a closer look at domestic violence statistics. Nationwide, there’s been an increase since the start of the pandemic.
In Georgia, family violence related deaths increased 49% from 2020 to the next year, according to the Georgia Commission on Family Violence.
In 2021, more than 200 Georgians were killed in domestic violence cases. 85% of those involved firearms.