Attempted Murder, Child Abuse Charges Dropped Against Man in Oakleaf Plantation Shootout
CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Darrius Kirkland, the man accused of opening fire on the father of his girlfriend’s children during a child custody exchange in Oakleaf Plantation, will not face felony charges for attempted murder or child abuse, according to Clay County court records obtained Friday by First Coast News.
Kirkland was initially arrested on charges of attempted murder, felony child abuse and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon following the shooting.
Clay County deputies said they received multiple 911 calls the afternoon of Sept. 18 reporting gunfire on Baybridge Court in Oakleaf Plantation.
Within minutes, dispatchers also received reports of a vehicle crash on Piedmont Manor Drive and a man fleeing through the backyard of a nearby home.
Investigators said the shooting happened during a scheduled custody exchange involving two separated parents at a home on Baybridge Court. According to deputies, Kirkland brought an AR-style rifle and a semiautomatic handgun with him as he headed to the exchange.
Deputies said Kirkland fired at the children’s father as he stepped out of his vehicle. The father returned fire with a handgun before moving through neighboring yards. A young child remained inside the father’s car when the shooting began, and deputies said the vehicle was struck multiple times by Kirkland’s gunfire.
No one was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. The children’s mother took cover, then safely got both children out and onto the ground. Several nearby homes were also hit by stray bullets, according to deputies.
The father later came back to the area and surrendered to deputies who had responded to the scene.
Deputies said Kirkland fled in the mother’s vehicle before crashing into a tree on Piedmont Manor Drive. The collision sparked fires involving the vehicle, the tree and a nearby unoccupied car; firefighters later extinguished the flames. A police K-9 eventually located Kirkland. He was hospitalized for injuries suffered in the crash and questioned by investigators while receiving treatment.
Court records show that during an Oct. 8 proceeding, state prosecutors filed only one charge against Kirkland. The attempted murder and child abuse counts were dropped, while the possession of a weapon by a convicted felon charge remained. That offense is classified as a second-degree felony.
The reason the additional charges were dismissed remains unclear. First Coast News contacted the State Attorney’s Office for an explanation and will update the report if officials respond.
Kirkland pleaded not guilty to the weapons charge during an Oct. 20 arraignment. He remains held at the Clay County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
