A woman in the US went on a shooting spree, opening fire on two drivers, claiming ''God told her to do so during the solar eclipse.'' According to the New York Post, 22-year-old Taylon Nichelle Celestine of Georgia left her Holmes County motel on Monday and told staff that she was going on a God-directed shooting spree because of the solar eclipse.
She then took her purple Dodge Challenger and drove towards the highway 115 miles (180 kilometres) from the Alabama border. Within 5 miles (8 kilometres), she fired into a passing car several times, spraying auto glass and grazing the driver in the arm, the police department said in a statement. He was able to steer his vehicle onto the shoulder of the road.
She then shot at a second vehicle, hitting the driver in the neck. The driver was injured and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
The reckless shooter didn't stop there but continued driving until highway patrol troopers caught up to her near the 96-mile marker and pulled her over. Law enforcement officers seized an AR-15 rifle and a 9mm handgun from the vehicle.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the woman was arrested and charged with attempted murder. She was also charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and improper discharge of a firearm.
The police are further investigating the incident.
On Monday, millions of astronomy enthusiasts in the US stepped out on the streets to witness the total solar eclipse and tried to capture the rare celestial spectacle on their devices. Almost 32 million people were in the path of totality as the moon's shadow crossed the Mexico-Texas border at lunchtime and traversed 15 states over the next hour and a half.
Festivals, viewing parties and even mass weddings took place along the eclipse's "path of totality," where the Sun's corona glowed from behind the Moon in a display that left crowds awestruck.
The total solar eclipse of 2024 was a historic celestial event because it won't be visible across the contiguous US again until August 2044 and an annular eclipse -- which happens when the moon can't completely block the sun-- won't appear across this part of the world again until 2046.
