Florida man tried to romance daughter before shooting spree

A Florida man spiraled into a murderous rage after he tried to pursue a romantic relationship with his 17-year-old daughter, fatally shooting a woman and injuring his mother and the teen, authorities said.

Michael Banks, 42, shot and killed his mother’s friend, injured his mother and hurt his 17-year-old daughter in a fit of rage at the family’s Tampa home on Wednesday, police said.

Banks, incensed that his family tried to stop his romantic pursuit of his own daughter, opened fire on officers who were responding to reports of gunfire. Police then returned fire but did not hit Banks before he surrendered and was taken into custody, Fox 13 reported.

A pre-trial detention motion filed by prosecutors accused Banks of turning to violence after overhearing his mother and her friend discussing kicking him out of the family home after learning he was “pursuing a romantic relationship with his daughter.”

Prosecutors said the father, clouded by anger and betrayal, grabbed his loaded revolver and fatally shot the unidentified woman in the kitchen. The woman was a friend of his mother’s, according to Fox.

Banks then took aim at his mother, causing a bullet to graze her head, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, Banks then went after his 17-year-old daughter who was in the shower at the time, shooting through the bathroom door and striking the teen in the leg.

His mother and daughter were seen by police running out of the house and crying out for help.

When Banks was later questioned by authorities he confirmed he had written a love letter to his daughter, requesting that she “enter into a relationship with him and not date anyone else,” prosecutors said.

Banks has a prior criminal history that includes a conviction on aggravated battery charges for beating a pregnant woman in 2007.

He was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder of a police officer and felon in possession of a firearm.

Banks is being held without bond until a pre-trial detention hearing on Wednesday.

The shooting remains under police investigation.