A 42-year-old Orange City man is behind bars after he allegedly shot one of his neighbors with a shotgun early Wednesday morning.
The shooting incident occurred at around 4:30 a.m. at Luna Sands RV Resort located in the 1400 block of E Minnesota Avenue in Orange City, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
VCSO stated that deputies responded to the RV resort shortly before 5 a.m. in reference to shots being fired in the area. Upon arrival, they found a 32-year-old male victim who had sustained a gunshot wound to his shoulder.
The victim’s name was not released by law enforcement.
The sheriff’s office learned that the suspected shooter was a neighbor, identified as John David Wilson. Deputies surrounded Wilson’s camper, and he exited without incident and was taken into custody.
An investigation into the shooting was launched, and VCSO detectives learned that Wilson had a recent history of “shouting at others” and “talking to himself in a way that was incoherent to others.” However, detectives found no history of animosity or any prior altercations involving Wilson and the victim, according to the sheriff’s office.
Detectives ultimately determined that around 4:30 a.m., Wilson was shouting outside when the victim left his camper to head to the gym before work. According to VCSO, a witness advised that Wilson yelled twice that the victim needed to “get back inside (his) house or (he’s) dead.”
The victim asked if Wilson was talking to him. Wilson allegedly responded by stating that the victim had until the count of three to get inside, or else he was going to shoot. The sheriff’s office stated that Wilson then quickly counted down from three and fired a shotgun.
According to the sheriff’s office, the victim was armed with a handgun, and he fired back several times after being shot. Wilson retreated and was not struck by the gunfire.
Detectives recovered the firearms belonging to Wilson and the victim. The sheriff’s office stated that “other evidence consistent with the witness and victim’s accounts of the incident” was also recovered.
According to VCSO, Wilson allegedly fired his shotgun at the victim from a distance of around 30 feet.
The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries to his shoulder from buckshot. His injuries, which were only inches away from his neck and head, are non-life-threatening.
Wilson was arrested and transported to Volusia County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is being charged with attempted first-degree murder.