Bronson shooting/stabbing incident under investigation; arrests will likely be made
Photos courtesy of LCSO.
Bronson, Florida - Shortly after 12:00 pm noon on Wednesday, February 17, Levy County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a residence located at 7450 NE 136th Ave. in east Brnson, due to a reported shooting incident. Deputies arrived at the residence to find 34 year-old Jeffrey Gregg unconscious, suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was transported by ambulance to a local trauma center where his condition was listed as critical.
According to witnesses, earlier in the day, Mr. Gregg had been involved in an argument with his next-door neighbors, Jessica Butler, and her paramour, Andrew Hickey, 41. Witnesses reported that Gregg made several threats and returned to his home, but later emerged from his home with a firearm and fired several rounds into the air and went back inside, then emerged from his home again, about twenty minutes later, armed with two knives, and allegedly began attacking Mr. Hickey.
Walter Seibert, 67, who also resides on Ms. Butler's and Mr. Hickey's property, witnessed Mr. Gregg's attack on Mr. Hickey, and went to intervene, armed with a Colt 1911 0.45-caliber handgun that was concealed in his waistband. He confronted Mr. Gregg, who shoved him to the ground and stabbed him to his upper torso. Mr. Seibert then drew his handgun and fired a single round, which struck Mr. Gregg's abdomenal area.
According to Lt. Scott Tummond, "Detectives discovered a web of relationships that was complicated by illegal drug use between Butler, Hickey and Gregg, which fueled this altercation."
Lt. Tummond said that Ms. Butler had left the property after the first incident, when Mr. Gregg had fired the shots into the air, and when she returned home several hours later, detectives seized her backpack which she said contained drugs. Detectives also obtained and served a search warrant for Mr. Gregg's residence, where additional evidence was obtained.
As of Feb. 18, no arrests had been made in regard to the incident. According to Lt. Tummond, evidence and the statements of witnesses indicate that Mr. Seibert acted in self-defense. As a result of this investigation, he said, Mr. Gregg could face multiple felony charges upon his release from the hospital, and Ms. Butler could face felony charges to include drug possession.