In a recent courtroom testimony, Alexander Deltoro Jr., maintained that his actions on the night of December 14, 2019, were meant to protect his mother, not to bring about her untimely death. Speaking before Broward County Circuit Judge Lorena V. Mastrarrigo, Deltoro recounted the harrowing moments that led to the fatal shooting. “Yes, I told him to leave us alone and get away from us. And at the time when I went to raise the gun, that’s when he came in with his left arm, and he smacked the gun out of my hand, and that’s when it went off,” Deltoro described, as reported by WSVN.
Deltoro was arrested the day after the shooting incident, which occurred shortly after he celebrated his 28th birthday with his parents. The altercation allegedly escalated from a verbal dispute to a violent confrontation at their Margate home. According to WSVN, Deltoro stated that it was his father who initially brandished a firearm, prompting him to also draw his weapon in response.
At the core of the incident is the tragic loss of Cindy Deltoro, who was reportedly trying to intervene between her husband and son when she was shot in the head. The prosecutors have charged Deltoro with manslaughter, carrying a concealed firearm, and battery, as informed by Local10.com. If convicted, the manslaughter charge alone could lead to as many as 15 years imprisonment.
The pandemic's onset in early 2020 caused delay in numerous court cases, including Deltoro's trial. When court proceedings resumed, his defense attempted to assert a self-defense angle, citing fears of his father's actions. However, the judge was not swayed by this argument and denied a Stand Your Ground motion to drop the charges, Last year, Deltoro’s defense claimed it was a self-defense shooting because he saw his father reaching for a gun, as noted by Local10.com.
Deltoro's account faced scrutiny as last week's trial proceedings included surveillance footage from the Margate Police Department during his interrogation.
