A Florida man is facing serious charges after allegedly shooting and killing his stepson during a heated argument that started over a video game.
The deadly incident took place on the evening of Wednesday, May 21, at a home on Citrus Landing Boulevard in Davenport, according to the Davenport Police Department. Officers arrived at the residence around 7:10 p.m. following a report of a domestic disturbance.
Inside the home were 43-year-old Kelly Agar Garcia, his wife Adriane Daza, 48, her two children—ages 9 and 11—and her adult son, 26-year-old Azareel J. Martinez. Garcia is the stepfather to all three children.
According to investigators, the conflict began when the 9-year-old was caught playing Fortnite on a phone despite being told by his mother not to. When Daza confiscated the device, the boy reportedly retrieved a Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun from a nightstand in her bedroom.
Daza attempted to take the gun away, but couldn’t. Garcia then stepped in and successfully disarmed the child. At that point, tensions escalated between Garcia and Martinez, who became involved in the situation. An argument broke out between the two men, and police say Garcia shot Martinez several times in the chest and abdomen.
Martinez attempted to leave the room, but Garcia allegedly fired again—hitting him twice in the back as he exited. Martinez later died at a nearby hospital from his injuries.
Police Chief Steve Parker addressed the media the following day, calling the tragedy preventable. “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.”
Garcia was arrested and is currently being held in Polk County Jail. He faces charges of second-degree murder and unlawful storage of a firearm that was accessible to a minor. Jail records confirm both charges.
During the press conference, Chief Parker also revealed that the family had previously been on the radar of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Officers had visited the home in 2022 following a referral, but no further details about that incident were released.
As of Saturday, May 24, Davenport Police had not issued any new statements regarding the case.
Stupidity personified