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'I love the smell of fear': Man fires shots at women and kids in car, Brevard County deputies say

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies say a Brevard County man tried to make good on his threats to kill a woman who had three children in the car with her at the time.

37-year-old Artavis McCray was supposed to face a judge Friday on charges of attempted murder and felony child abuse, but had to be removed from a Brevard County courtroom because he got in an argument with a corrections deputy.

According to deputies, the victim said this started earlier this year because McCray believes the woman “knows too much” about another criminal case involving him.

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Then this week, deputies said McCray threatened the woman for several days before following her in his car near the intersection of SR-520 and Range Road in Cocoa on Tuesday.

According to deputies, McCray allegedly told her: “Didn’t I tell you I would find you [expletive]! I told you would find you and kill your [expletive].”

The woman told deputies she pleaded with McCray: “Please don’t kill me with my kids in the car. I don’t want them to see this.”

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According to deputies, McCray replied: “I love the smell of the fear. You think I give a [expletive] about them kids?”

Deputies said McCray took two shots at the woman’s vehicle while she, another woman, and three kids were inside. It appears one of the rounds hit the vehicle but ricocheted. No one was struck or injured.

Prior to this, McCray was free on felony bond in an aggravated assault case involving a firearm. He will now remain in jail without bond until his next court date on these latest charges.

“We’re very lucky that someone wasn’t injured very seriously in this case,” said Tod Goodyear from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s a blessing that no one was struck.”

McCray will face a judge again Saturday.