Carla Williams: 48-Year-Old Instructor Gunned Down At Florida Gym
Carla Elaine Williams, 48, was fatally shot on Tuesday, May 24,2022, while working out in a gym in Pensacola, Florida. The gunman, whom police said had a relationship with Williams, is in custody and charged with murder.
Carla Elaine Williams, 48, was well known in the Pensacola athletic community as a basketball star. The 48-year-old would go on to teach students as a math instructor at Pensacola State College in Pensacola, Florida.
About 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, Williams was working out in a local fitness center when a gunman walked into the facility and fired a barrage of shots at her, striking her several times.
Kennon Nicholas Farrow, was taken into custody without incident later that night. He has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder, according to a news release from the Pensacola Police Department.
Vicki Carson, a friend of the victim, told WearTV that Williams indicated that her relationship with Farrow was on the rocks
."A couple of months ago, I asked her if she had the same beau and she said we're taking a break," Carson said. "He's very possessive."
Court documents obtained by WearTV show that Farrow was arrested in February and charged with strangling Williams. She was granted a temporary restraining order against Farrow in March 2022.
While no one else was seriously injured in the rampage, authorities said others were “very, very fortunate with the amount of shots that were fired that nobody else was hurt.”
The fitness center posted the following message about the fatal shooting:We are deeply saddened by the events that unfolded today. We lost a beloved member tragically by a domestic dispute that turned violent. We are shocked and saddened beyond words. We are so thankful for the prompt actions and support of the Pensacola Police Department. In addition, the outpouring of love and support for the Pensacola Fitness family at large has been humbling. Please keep the friends and family of the victim in your thoughts and prayers.
The facility also posted on its Facebook page that “Carla was a lovely person who will be missed.” The gym reopened shortly after the incident.
Carl Calhoun, a 69-year-old who frequents the gym, told the Pensacola News Journal that when he drove up to the fitness center that morning to get his workout in, the large law enforcement presence unsettled him.
"It's just bad for the whole community,” he was quoted as saying. “It freaks me out seeing this (expletive).”
Domestic Violence Resources
Resources For Women By State
National Domestic Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
