Florida Man, 84, Charged With Attempted Murder

William Nowak, 84, of Palm Bay, Florida, was charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting his 62-year-old son in the face during a confrontation on the evening of December 9, 2025. The argument stemmed from Nowak’s anger that his son and daughter-in-law had not visited the previous weekend. Nowak served as the primary caregiver for his 85-year-old wife, who was on in-home hospice care, and their 62-year-old daughter with a disability. After the confrontation escalated, Nowak went to his bedroom, retrieved a handgun, and returned to the kitchen where his son and daughter-in-law were standing.

The Shooting

Despite his daughter-in-law’s pleas to put the gun down, Nowak allegedly fired once, striking his son in the face. The bullet fragmented on impact and lodged in the victim’s face and jaw, causing severe injuries that required sedation at the hospital. After firing, Nowak appeared disoriented, asking what had just happened before breaking down in tears and screams. His daughter-in-law called police. Officers arrived to find the son barely able to speak; blood evidence and a bullet casing were found on the kitchen floor.

Arrest and Charges

Nowak was taken to the hospital for high blood pressure before being booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex in Sharpes, Florida. He was held without bond following his first court appearance, at which a public defender was appointed. His son and daughter-in-law had been visiting weekly; Nowak’s grievance was specifically that they had missed the prior weekend visit while his wife was under hospice care at the home.

References: Man, 84, Accused of Shooting Son After Getting Upset Over Lack of Visits