Deputies said the man survived and was later arrested at a nearby hospital.
PALM COAST, FL — A Palm Coast mother shot a man Sunday afternoon after she said he entered her home, threatened her and her two children, and refused repeated orders to leave, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
The shooting happened around 1:50 p.m. on Big Bear Lane and led to the arrest of Michael McDonald, 33, of Palm Coast. Deputies said Courtney Price called 911 and reported that she had shot a man inside her home. Authorities said Price and her children were not injured, and McDonald’s arm wound was not life-threatening.
Investigators said McDonald was known to Price and had a connection to her through his sister. Price told deputies the encounter began when McDonald came to the home uninvited, opened the garage, banged on windows and entered through the front door. She said he demanded money and threatened her family. Price said she warned him that she was armed and ordered him to leave, but he kept moving toward her and her children. “I did what I had to do to protect my children and myself,” Price said. She said she panicked, got her gun and used it for the first time during the confrontation.
Deputies said Price fired one shot, hitting McDonald in the arm. After the shooting, McDonald left in a silver Kia SUV before deputies arrived. Responding deputies found blood evidence at the home but did not find McDonald there. Investigators later located the SUV at AdventHealth, where deputies conducted a felony traffic stop and detained him. McDonald was treated for his injury before he was taken into custody. Officials have not said whether anyone else was inside the SUV or whether McDonald spoke with deputies at the hospital.
Price said McDonald did not leave even after she warned him that she would shoot. She said he replied that he did not care and told her to shoot. Price said she fired because she believed he posed a threat to her and her two sons. “I wasn’t trying to kill anyone. I was trying to get him out to where my kids and I were safe in my house,” she said. Authorities said the shooting was treated as a self-defense case because Price was inside her own home and had given McDonald warnings before firing.
Flagler County Chief Deputy Joseph Barile said investigators found Price’s account matched the legal grounds for self-defense under Florida law. He said Price was in her home when someone entered uninvited, refused to leave and continued to advance after being warned. “She had a right to defend herself, and she did,” Barile said. Deputies said McDonald was aggressive toward Price and her children before the shooting. Officials have not released a full arrest report or said whether home cameras, witness statements or 911 audio will be made public.
McDonald was charged with burglary with assault and was being held in custody. Deputies said he has an extensive criminal history that includes grand theft and robbery offenses. Authorities said Price was not charged because the shooting was considered lawful. The case now moves into the court process, where prosecutors will review the burglary with assault charge and any evidence gathered by deputies. No court date, bond amount or formal plea information had been released as of Tuesday.
The shooting drew attention in Flagler County because it happened in the middle of the day in a residential area and involved a mother who said her children were nearby. Deputies described the home as the center of the confrontation, with McDonald accused of entering after attempts to get inside through the garage and windows. The sheriff’s office said the children were not physically harmed. Officials have not said how old the children are or whether they gave statements to investigators.
As of Tuesday, McDonald remained charged in the case, Price had not been arrested, and deputies said the shooting was justified under Florida’s self-defense law. The next public milestone is expected through court filings or an updated sheriff’s office report.
Author note: Last updated June 16, 2026.