Cop Shoots Through 6-Foot-Tall Fence, Executes Father in His Backyard on New Year's Eve for Celebrating the Second Amendment

James Williams, 46, spent his last seconds on Earth trying to figure out who shot him at his family's New Year's party. He would die in front of his family in his living room, his last words being, "I've been shot." Though they were unaware, the gunshot was fired from a police officer's rifle from the opposite side of the family's six-foot-tall privacy fence that encircled their backyard.

Blood streaks remain on the living room floor where Williams was assassinated in front of his wife and children. They had been celebrating the new year only seconds before.

According to his wife, Marquetta Williams, they had a history of firing celebration rounds from their legally owned AR-15 each year with the rest of their neighbours. While this is a reckless activity since the bullet might inflict serious harm when it returns to earth, many people shoot off firearms on July 4th and New Year's Eve - and they are not apprehended by authorities.

According to Marquetta, their girls were watching television "when the ball fell" and the grownups got up to walk outdoors. Marquetta, who has a concealed carry licence, snatched up the family's AR-15 in order to carry out the New Year's Eve ritual.

"The children were watching the countdown, and we went outside to fire guns, like everyone else does on New Year's," she said, noting that many other residents in the area were doing the same thing.

"We do this every year on New Year's Eve," she said. "Everyone was firing (in the area). It was a custom. On New Year's Eve, everyone shoots."

Marquetta was standing behind her husband when he snatched four rounds to ring in the new year. He'd have a gunshot in him seconds later. What should have been a minor ticket for shooting a gun inside city borders was instantly upgraded to the death sentence, which was carried out in public.

According to Marquetta, the officer said nothing before shooting over the fence and killing James, who was only exercising his Second Amendment right on New Year's Eve – although carelessly.

"All of a sudden, he claimed he was shot, he was struck," she said. "I have no idea where that came from. Nobody spoke. They made no reference to 'Police.' 'Freeze,' they did not say. 'Drop your firearm,' they did not say. They've just killed him."

"I could see the spray of blood on his shirt," she said. "In the living room, he collapsed."

Marquetta quickly contacted police to report that her husband had been shot, and as she came out the front door, she was greeted by many policemen with firearms.

"There were thirty-something cops pointing weapons at us, ordering us to get down and exit the home with our hands up," she claimed.

Marquetta could be heard informing the operator that her husband had been shot in the 911 call leaked to the public. They were unsure why.

According to a press release published Saturday, Williams was armed when police responded to a shooting at his home in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW at 12:06 a.m. According to the statement, "... the officer was outside his vehicle when he encountered a person who started discharging a handgun." Fearful for his life, the officer fired his duty weapon at the individual and hit him."

As James was in his backyard, the officer could not have "confronted" him, and hence that allegation is false. Furthermore, as Marquetta pointed out, the cop made no statement before opening fire — on the opposite side of a fence he couldn't see through.

According to authorities, they are now conducting an investigation into the incident. The officer was supposedly carrying a body camera, which might corroborate what Marquetta stated; however, the officer's body camera has not been made public.

"My husband was a decent guy who did not deserve to die in this manner," Marquetta Williams said. "He was cherished. He was endearing and compassionate. He'd hand you his shirt off his back. … He will be sorely missed. He should not have died in the manner in which he did. I only want justice for him."

Williams became the first person to be slain by police in 2022 when he was killed just after midnight on New Year's Eve in the Eastern time zone. He was an innocent man, a father of six, and a devoted spouse who was killed in his own backyard.