Yesterday morning, a dispute at a DeLand house party escalated into gunfire, leaving one man wounded and another behind bars. DeLand Police Department officers responded to a 911 call at around 2:55 a.m., reporting a person shot at the 600 block of N Kentucky Avenue, as confirmed by Orlando-News. The victim, an adult male, suffered two gunshot injuries and was subsequently transported to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.
Upon detaining the suspect at the scene, identified as 23-year-old Dawson Gregory Summers from DeBary, the investigation took a turn with officers discovered that alcohol consumption played a significant role in the night's events. According to WFTV, witnesses claimed that Summers commenced an altercation by "antagonizing" the victim, which escalated to a "physical altercation." While the nature of the party's dynamics and the breadth of the argument remain unclear, these early-hour conflicts led to a confrontation where Summers retrieved a firearm and shot the victim.
Officers at the scene located the suspected firearm used in the shooting hidden inside the home’s laundry room. The DeLand Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division is actively continuing its inquiry into the matter. Meanwhile, Summers faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and is currently held at Volusia County Jail without bond.
