‘Homeless’ suspect, 32, who doused woman in gasoline then lit her on fire in horrifying ‘random’ attack at a Florida Taco Bell is arrested for attempted murder
- An unidentified woman was set alight at a Florida Taco Bell branch Wednesday
- Tallahassee Police responded around 6.18pm said ‘the subject entered the business and doused the victim with gasoline’ before setting her on fire
- Cops asked for the public’s help and shared an image of Mia Williams ‘who identifies as a black female’
- Williams was seen wearing a black shirt, tan capri pants and a red head wrap
- The 32-year-old had fled scene ‘on foot’ but was located nearby Thursday 5am
- A local claimed Williams previously went by a different name and was a client at a center for the homeless
- The person claiming to know Williams said she was ‘not in her right mind’ and the attack was ‘random’
- Investigators are asking anyone with information about this case to please call them at 850-891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 850-574-TIPS
Police in Florida have detained a person 11 hours after the apparent attempted murder of a woman, who was soaked in fuel and set alight at a Taco Bell on Wednesday evening.
Tallahassee Police said ‘the subject entered the business and doused the victim with gasoline’ before setting her on fire and ‘fleeing the scene on foot’.
Officers responded to the aggravated battery report at around 6.18pm and worked throughout the night to locate the suspect, Mia Williams, 32, who authorities said ‘identifies as a black female’.
Cops arrested Mia Williams (left and right), 32, ‘who identifies as a black woman’, on suspicion of attempted murder Thursday. It was after an unidentified woman was set alight at a Florida Taco Bell branch Wednesday night
The victim was taken to North Florida Fairgrounds hospital by helicopter with serious injuries and her identity was being kept confidential Thursday morning.
Williams, 32, was taken into custody around 5am Thursday in the area of Pensacola Street and White Drive, which is about a 13-minute drive or 90 minute walk from the South Monroe Street Taco Bell location.
The arrest came after cops shared the name and image of Williams who was ‘last seen wearing a black shirt with white writing, tan capri styled pants, and a red wrap on her head’.
Law enforcement shared with the public that Williams also had ‘several necklaces around their neck’ at the time of the attack.
Cops at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University also alerted students that the suspect was seen head south from the campus.
It’s unclear what the relation between the suspect and victim is, if any.
Tallahassee Police responded around 6.18pm said ‘the subject entered the business and doused the victim with gasoline’ before setting her on fire
‘At this time, (investigators) are on scene trying to basically solve this puzzle, to figure out why this heinous crime was committed,’ TPD Officer Rachelle Denmark told the Tallahassee Democrat.
Officer Damon Miller added: ‘I don’t know if the victim was an employee or just someone inside.’
The TPD Violent Crimes Unit has launched an investigated in collaboration with the Tallahassee Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.
One community member claimed Williams is ‘homeless and is not in his right mind’.
The person claimed Williams was a client at the Kearney Center, which provides emergency assistance to those who are homeless or at risk of losing their accommodation.
The local claimed Thursday: ‘This was a random attack.’
This case has been assigned to investigators with TPD’s Violent Crimes Unit.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about this case to please call them at 850-891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 850-574-TIPS.