DEADLY FORTNITE DISPUTE ENDS WITH STEPFATHER SHOOTING AND KILLING STEPSON

A Florida man is behind bars after a heated domestic incident spiraled out of control and ended in a deadly shooting. Authorities say 43-year-old Kelly Agar Garcia has been charged with second-degree murder after fatally shooting his 26-year-old stepson, Azareel J. Martinez, on Wednesday night.

According to police, the chaos began inside a home on Citrus Landing Blvd around 7:10 p.m. on May 21st. The family dispute reportedly started over a video game — “Fortnite” — which had been previously banned in the home. Adriane Daza, 48, discovered her 9-year-old son playing the game in Martinez’s upstairs bedroom. She attempted to discipline the child by taking away his phone, but things quickly escalated.

The 9-year-old reportedly retrieved a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun from a nightstand drawer. Both Daza and Garcia, the child’s stepfather, struggled with the boy to get the weapon under control. Garcia was ultimately able to disarm him.

That’s when Martinez entered the room and saw Garcia and the child holding the firearm. A verbal altercation broke out between the two men. In the heat of the moment, Garcia allegedly fired multiple shots into Martinez’s chest and abdomen.

Martinez tried to flee the bedroom, but police say Garcia followed him and fired two additional shots into his back before he collapsed.

Martinez was transported to the hospital but later died from his injuries.

Garcia has been arrested and is currently being held in the Polk County Jail. In addition to the murder charge, he’s also facing a charge for unlawful storage of a firearm accessible to a minor.

-DH