ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando man was arrested Thursday after shooting into the home of someone who posted a negative restaurant review on social media, deputies said.
Norman Auvil, 42, was charged with shooting into a building, shooting from a vehicle and abuse of a disabled person.
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It all started August 19, deputies said, when Monica Walley posted on Facebook about a bad experience her mother, Diana Walley, had at the Daybreak Diner in Orlando. Monica posted that her disabled mother was denied service at the diner on her birthday, and that workers were "unnecessarily rude," reports WFTV.
Monica Walley said in the post that her mother was told she could not be in the restaurant without another person accompanying her. "It was my mother's birthday, and all she wanted was her favorite Greek omelet. She arrived back home in tears," Monica wrote, according to Fox 35 Orlando.
The post led to negative comments about the Daybreak Diner and angry phone calls, according to authorities. The restaurant's owner, Lizabeth Johnson, said she felt her business was ruined as a result of the negative social media campaign.
#Orlando man charged with firing into home after woman wrote negative restaurant review! We’ll hear from the man who says one of the bullets missed his head by only inches on #TV27at10 & #WFTVat11 @WFTV pic.twitter.com/9k9go5KdD0
— Ken Tyndall (@KenTyndallWFTV) September 1, 2018
Deputies were called to the home of the Walley family August 20 on a report of shots fired. According to investigators, the home was shot three times, with one bullet narrowly missing the head of husband and father Kenneth Walley, who was watching television in the living room.
Deputies said Auvil rode to the home in an SUV driven by Michael Johnson, the restaurant owner's son, along with another friend, Jesse Martin. Auvil fired the shots before Johnson drove away, according to an arrest report.
Investigators spoke with Michael Johnson and Martin, who said they were drinking beer with Auvil on August 20. They were angry about Monica Walley's Facebook post, and used the internet to find her address.
According to the arrest report, Michael Johnson and Martin said they drove to the Walley family's home with the intent to harm someone or to cause property damage. Investigators said Auvil refused to discuss his involvement with the incident, but said that he understands it "looked bad" for him.
Auvil had been honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and said he drinks beer "most days," according to investigators. Both Michael Johnson and Martin said they had witnessed violent outbursts from Auvil before, according to the report.
Auvil remains in the Orange County Jail on $4,300 bond.