The pastor accused of shooting a teenager in Atlanta on Saturday endured numerous burglaries at his home and was recently the victim of arson, his daughter said.
Alex Williams is accused of shooting a 13-year-old with a handgun after the teen threw rocks at his van, breaking the rear windshield.
The child was in stable condition after the incident in southwest Atlanta, and Williams was under arrest, charged with aggravated assault. He was denied bond Monday.
Williams is the pastor of the Mechanicsville United Church of God in Christ on McDaniel Street. He runs the church out of his home, which his daughter said was damaged by fire a couple months ago.
Yvonne Williams said gas cans were found after the fire. She said she thinks it was intentionally set, based on what her father told family.
"That's just the way they are in that area," said Yvonne Williams, 44. "It's a violent area, full of drugs. That's how they do."
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department confirmed that a fire occurred at the church, at 700 McDaniel St.
The fire on Jan. 21 burned from the yard to the building. It caused "heavy" damage to the exterior and resulted in smoke and water damage to the sanctuary area, said department spokesman Capt. Jolyon Bundrige. He said the cause was unknown.
Williams said her father was not a violent man, but she said she did not know whether his decision to use a gun was linked to the fire or to the burglaries she said he endured.
Williams' next court date is May 23rd at 9 a.m. in the Fulton County Courthouse.
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