DELTONA, Florida- A gunshot interrupted a birthday party in Deltona on Saturday night, injuring a 17-year-old bystander who took a bullet to the knee after her stepfather and his brother-in-law got into a heated argument over politics, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford with non-life-threatening injuries after the shooting, which occurred around 9:50 p.m. at 3244 Shingler Terrace. The alleged shooter, her stepfather, 41-year-old Jose Amaro, was arrested without incident. He remained on scene and was treating the victim’s wound when deputies made contact with him.
Deputies explain the scene was a get-together at Amaro’s house, with several family members and children present. Amaro and his brother-in-law, also a 41-year-old Deltona man, got involved in a discussion “about politics, Trump and the situation in Puerto Rico,” a deputy wrote in his incident report. All parties involved had been drinking and appeared intoxicated. The argument escalated, and Amaro became angry, shoved his brother-in-law, went inside the house and grabbed a handgun.
Others at the party tried to restrain Amaro, but he fired one shot out into the yard before a witness tackled him. The bullet hit his step-daughter in the right knee.
Amaro was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon as well as possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after a criminal history check revealed he had two felony convictions out of New Jersey. He was being held without bond Sunday morning at the Volusia County Branch Jail, the agency said.
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