DeLand father escapes gunfire while holding newborn; drunk neighbor arrested
By Tony Atkins
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DELAND, Florida (WESH) — A DeLand father said he was holding his newborn son when bullets suddenly tore through his house. According to authorities, the shooter was a drunk neighbor attempting to fire at a tree.
Salvador Sotello, who was in his mother’s home at the time of the incident, recounted the harrowing experience.
“I was holding [my son], basically like a football, when I came out the room,” Sotello said.
He described a moment of tranquility turning into a life-threatening situation when bullets began to fly through the room.
“Three shots went off, and then within seconds, another ten went off. The window above my head was shattered,” Sotello said.
Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies identified the shooter as 38-year-old Alex Kudlack.
Deputies say Kudlack was intoxicated and was trying to shoot at a tree. Investigators said he missed with several bullets hitting a fence and then the back of a nearby house. Inside the house were two children and three adults.
One of the residents, Heather Barlip, described the chaotic scene.
“I called 911, and as I’m on the phone, I hear more shots. By the time they got here, the officer heard another three shots,” she said.
Neighbors expressed their shock and concern over the incident.
“He’s not too far from an area where he can shoot and not hurt anybody. But that’s a neighborhood. That’s not right,” said Rick Hilderbrandt, who lives nearby.
Jorge Suarez, another neighbor, added, “I’m glad nobody got hurt and he got arrested.”
Barlip also had a message for Kudlack.
“Next time, think about where you’re at before you start shooting. Especially don’t get intoxicated while you’re doing this,” she said.
Kudlack has been charged with shooting into a house, using a firearm while under the influence, child endangerment, and criminal mischief, according to authorities.
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