Attorney, family of man accused of trying to kill a local candidate say he is being wrongly accused

By Sheldon Fox and Kevin Boulandier

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    WEST MIAMI-DADE, Florida (WSVN) — The family of a man behind bars is speaking out as, they say, he’s being wrongfully accused.

Anthony Mitchell was arrested after, police say, he tried to kill a candidate running for commissioner.

Opa-locka Police responded to the candidate’s neighborhood last week after he told officers his rivals were out to get him.

Body camera footage shows Christopher Davis, the candidate, telling officers that he had just been shot after being involved in a fistfight.

“How many shots more or less?” said the responding officer.

“My neighbor said he heard three shots,” said Davis.

“He fired at you?” asked the officer.

“He fired at me and the bullet hole is in my car as evidence,” said Davis.

Davis showed the bullet hole in his car and told officers that the person behind the shooting was Mitchell.

“And I’m in the driver’s seat, you see that?” said Davis.

“Absolutely,” said the officer.

“I know these guys,” said Davis.

Mitchell was promptly arrested and charged with attempted murder.

“Anthony’s going to jail for firing at an occupied vehicle,” said the officer o.

But on Monday, Mitchell’s attorney, Michael Pizzi, and family told 7News that their loved one is innocent.

“Anthony Mitchell is innocent. He has been falsely accused,” said Pizzi.

Tommy Johnson, Mitchell’s brother, was sitting next to Pizzi during the 7News interview.

“He swung!” said Johnson.

Johnson said he was the one who initially fought Davis before the alleged shots were fired.

But, according to Davis, he told police he was planning to gather campaign signs that night in the neighborhood when he encountered Johnson and Mitchell. The encounter led to punches flying in the neighborhood.

“They knocked out my teeth,” Davis told officers in body camera footage. “While I was fleeing, the guy shot at me.”

Johnson went down to the ground, causing Mitchell to allegedly come to his brother’s defense by, according to Davis and officers, firing bullets.

But Pizzi said that is not the case.

“Any suggestion that Anthony Mitchell even touched or looked at a firearm that night is a complete fabrication and a lie,” said Pizzi.

But when pressed on where the bullet holes in the car came from, Pizzi said he had “absolutely no idea.”

Pizzi provided a cellphone video showing his client, Mitchell, giving his side to the police. The video shows Mitchell denying ever firing or having a gun.

He also showed 7News images of Davis’ car parked at City Hall days after the alleged shooting. He said the car should’ve been formally towed, impounded, and processed as evidence.

Now, Pizzi is filing a motion to have the case dismissed. He points to an initial police report that doesn’t name Mitchell as the shooter within the arrest form narrative.

Davis did not immediately respond to 7News’ request for comment. The City of Opa-locka said it won’t comment on a pending investigation.

Mitchell remains behind bars at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

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