MIAMI (WSVN) - The man accused of shooting his ex-girlfriend multiple times in their Miami Gardens apartment took the stand one day after the judge denied a plea deal for him.
Fifty-five-year-old Gayle Blount told the jury on Wednesday that he acted in self-defense, as he was only trying to avoid being shot at by his partner, Bridget Knighton.
On the stand, Blount wiped away tears and said he was sorry for shooting Knighton at least five times in May 2021.
“I’m absolutely sorry, because this is a person I once loved,” said Blount.
Miami Gardens Police arrested Blount outside of the apartment that night as Knighton was inside lying in a pool of blood.
But Blount told the court that his ex-girlfriend was known to carry a gun.
“I was in fear for my life. I was afraid she was going to shoot me because she said, ‘I got something for your [expletive],’ and she reached her purse, and I wasn’t sure what she was capable of doing at that time,” he said.
Both sides were also able to question Blount’s daughter and a forensic ballistics expert during the trial on Wednesday.
At one point during the trial on Wednesday, Blount was asked to re-enact the shooting.
“So when she reaches for her purse, I take out my gun, and I shoot four, five times — ‘pow, pow, pow, pow’ — like that,” said Blount.
He told the jury he was not trying to kill Knighton and aimed at her lower body.
“Did you ever try to leave the apartment?” asked the defense attorney.
“I did not try to leave,” said Blount.
“Did you ever try to run from police?” asked the defense attorney.
“No, never,” said Blount.
Blount’s appearance on the stand comes one day after Knighton took the stand herself to tell the jury that Blount threatened her and then followed through on it.
“I remember him saying, ‘Look what you made me do,'” Knighton said on Tuesday.
Body camera footage was played in court on Tuesday from an officer who stayed by Knighton’s side until first responders arrived.
Blount is on trial for attempted murder.
Closing statements are set for Thursday morning.
The jury will begin deliberating following the conclusion of those statements.
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