A bad dad in Florida is facing a series of felony charges after allegedly opening fire on his three sons during a domestic dispute reportedly triggered by an argument over a family vehicle.
Bad dad shoots his own children
Authorities say the incident took place on the morning of May 18 in Hillsborough County.
Christopher Lee Brown, 36, was taken into custody following reports of gunfire around 11:15 a.m., according to court documents.
Deputies with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, where they discovered Brown’s three sons suffering from gunshot injuries.
All three juveniles were transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening. The identities and exact ages of the victims have not been publicly disclosed.
Detectives said that the altercation reportedly began as a verbal fight over a car. As tensions grew, Brown allegedly escalated the situation to violence.
According to the investigation, he struck one of the boys in the head with a firearm, which then discharged. The bullet reportedly grazed the child’s jawline and struck his ear.
Following the initial shot, the bad dad allegedly fled toward his car. The two other sons pursued him and Brown fired multiple rounds in their direction.
Bad dad make threats against his minor boys
In and audio recording his sons played for police, Brown is heard saying, “I tried to take your life” and “You won’t make it to Wednesday.”
Brown did not live with his sons and has a history of violence towards them. “They said that they had a long history of the father being an issue in their life,” HCSO Det. Shawn Lunghi said.
“Only the oldest son mentioned that he was violent toward them, but the other two sons indicated that he’s always causing trouble for the family.”
The State Attorney’s Office filed a motion requesting that Brown be held in custody while awaiting trial.
The charges brought against Brown are extensive. He faces three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of attempted first-degree murder involving a firearm, three counts of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm or involving a deadly weapon, and a charge of illegal firearm possession by a convicted felon.
Additional charges include discharging a firearm in a residential area, two counts of burglary involving occupied dwellings, resisting law enforcement without violence, and criminal mischief valued between $200 and $1,000.
Brown was denied bail at a court hearing on Thursday. “Parents are supposed to protect and love their children from danger,” Judge Nick Nazaretian told him. “Protect them from danger, right, and love them. They’re not supposed to be the danger.”
Stepfather shoots adult stepson over video game
In a separate case in the state, a man in Davenport was arrested after allegedly shooting and killing his adult stepson following an argument involving the video game Fortnite.
Authorities say 43-year-old Kelly Garcia and his wife, Adriane Daza, were at their residence with her 26-year-old son Azareel Martinez and two younger children, aged 9 and 11.
The dispute began when the 9-year-old was found playing Fortnite, a game his parents had prohibited.
After being reprimanded and losing access to his cellphone, the boy reportedly retrieved a 9 mm Smith & Wesson handgun from a drawer in his parents’ bedroom.
Police allege that Garcia intervened and took the firearm away from the child. At that moment, Martinez came into the room and began criticizing his stepfather about the child’s distress.
According to officials, Garcia then opened fire on Martinez, striking him multiple times in the chest and abdomen.
As the stepson attempted to leave the room, Garcia allegedly fired again, hitting Martinez twice in the back. Martinez later died at a local hospital.
Officers from the Davenport Police Department responded around 7:10 p.m. and were assisted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in processing what was described as a large and complex crime scene.
Garcia has been charged with second-degree murder and with improperly storing a firearm where it could be accessed by a minor. He remains in custody at the Polk County jail.
Elderly mother shoots son over noisy game
Elsewhere in Arizona, a senior citizen accused of shooting her adult son over loud video game noise.
According to police records, Hazel Benson, 72, from Mesa, was arrested on the night of May 17, following an altercation at her home.
Officers from the Mesa Police Department arrived at the scene around 8:50 p.m. and found Benson’s 38-year-old son with a gunshot wound to the stomach. He was hospitalized, and his injuries were deemed non-life-threatening.
Benson allegedly told police that she discharged the weapon during a heated dispute with her son, then disposed of the firearm by throwing it into a nearby canal.
The confrontation began earlier in the evening when her son went for a walk after an argument about the noise level. Upon returning home, he reportedly found Benson blocking the entrance.
Police reports indicate that Benson claimed her son lunged at her with his fists clenched, prompting her to fire the weapon. Investigators said she was unsure whether she fired once or multiple times.
Prior to the shooting, officers had already visited the residence for a separate incident earlier in the evening.
During that call, Benson allegedly voiced irritation about the volume of her son’s video game.
Following the incident, Benson was charged with aggravated assault, disorderly conduct, and discharging a firearm within city limits. Her son is expected to make a full recovery.
