On August 17, 2024, a fatal shooting occurred outside Mermaids Lounge in Spring Hill, Florida, resulting in the death of Willie Joe Frazier Jr., a 33-year-old man from the area. The incident began inside the bar when Frazier bumped into Joshua Howard. Howard, apparently upset by the encounter, waited outside the bar for Frazier to exit.
When Frazier left the bar a few minutes later, Howard confronted him, asking why Frazier had put his hands on him.
After a brief conversation, Frazier walked away, but Howard followed him. It appeared from the investigation that Frazier then punched Howard, which prompted Howard to pull out a gun and shoot Frazier multiple times. This altercation was captured on video surveillance.
Following the shooting, Howard attempted to flee the scene on foot but accidentally shot himself in the side while trying to tuck the gun into his waistband. He was stopped by deputies from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office outside a nearby business near the intersection of Berkeley Manor Boulevard and Frontage Road.
Frazier was taken to the hospital but did not survive his injuries. Howard, who was 35 years old at the time, was hospitalized for his self-inflicted wound and was under guard by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at an area trauma center. Once released from the hospital, Howard was to be taken to the Pasco County Jail.
Joshua Howard has been charged with second-degree murder with a firearm. In addition to this charge, he is also facing pre-existing felony charges from June 2024 for driving without a valid driver’s license and fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer.
