Florida man gets life for biting, gouging officer’s eye, streaming attack on Facebook
04/04/2024 1:49 pm PDT
ORLANDO, Fla. (TCD) -- A 29-year-old man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for assaulting and injuring two police officers in 2021 with the intent to kill them in a surprise attack.
According to an April 3 news release from the State Attorney’s Office for Orange and Osceola Counties, a jury convicted William McClish of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with great bodily harm, depriving an officer of means of protection/communication, and attempted depriving officer of means of protection/communication. A judge subsequently sentenced McClish to life in prison.
On Sept. 25, 2021, McClish placed his phone against a trash can in the area of North Magnolia and East Washington Street, where two Orlando Police Department officers in uniform stood outside their vehicle. While the officers were in view of the camera, McClish began streaming live on Facebook and hit an officer in the head with a brick. According to the attorney’s office, the officer and a witness tried to subdue the defendant as he continued to fight and resist.
McClish also reportedly "bit and gouged the second officer’s eye during the attack."
McClish refused to comply with officers’ commands, and the defendant tried to retrieve one of the victims’ guns. McClish took an officer’s radio off his uniform to prevent him from calling for help. Additional law enforcement officials arrived moments later and apprehended McClish at the scene.
According to the attorney’s office, while he was in jail, McClish bragged about trying to take the officer’s firearm during the attack. In video footage obtained from the defendant’s phone, investigators learned that McClish said, "I’m gonna kill him on live," so officials determined "premeditation and his intention to kill."
McClish represented himself during his trial and made his entire opening statement, "I didn’t do it, and the evidence was tampered with."
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