A 43-year-old Florida man, Kelly Agar Garcia, has been accused of fatally shooting his 26-year-old stepson following a dispute over Fortnite. Allegedly, Garcia shot Azareel J. Martinez multiple times, including twice on the back.
Videos by Suggest
According to ABC Action News, citing the Davenport Police Department, the incident took place on Wednesday, May 21. At around 7 p.m., police officers responded to a domestic incident at a Citrus Landing Boulevard residence.
Shortly before the call, Kelly Agar Garcia and his wife, Adrianna Daza, 48, were at the residence alongside Daza’s children, ages 9 and 11, and Martinez. Garcia is the stepfather of the three children.
According to investigations, the incident broke out after the 9-year-old played Fortnite on his phone. He had been instructed by his mother not to. Daza took the phone away, and the 9-year-old allegedly grabbed his mother’s Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun from her nightstand.
Daza attempted to take the gun away from the 9-year-old, with Garcia finally stepping in and taking the gun away from him, according to police. At that moment, Martinez entered the room amid the struggle. Both men engaged in a heated verbal argument. Suddenly, Garcia allegedly shot Martinez several times in the chest and abdomen.
Martinez attempted to leave the room, but Garcia allegedly shot him twice in the back. The 26-year-old collapsed and was rushed to a local hospital. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries.
‘It’s Sad’
Police Chief Steve Parker shed some light on what might have contributed to the untimely death of Martinez. Reportedly, the deceased man was not happy with his mother’s relationship with Garcia. Leading to his death, he had been outspoken about it. As per Parker, Martinez did not like how Garcia disciplined his 11-year-old and 9-year-old siblings.
Parker added that local police had visited the residence before in 2022. Reportedly, the visit was due to a referral from the Florida Department of Children and Families. No further comment on the visit was provided by law enforcement.
“I truly believe that if that child did not know where that gun was, none of this would have happened today, none of it,” Parker said. “It’s sad.”
Kelly Agar Garcia was charged with second-degree murder and unlawful storage of a firearm (accessible to a minor). He is currently being held at the Polk County Jail.