DELTONA, Florida – A Florida man was shot twice after he gave his brother a gun and dared him to shoot him Deltona on Sunday. According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, 21-year-old Joel Almonte and his brother, 28-year-old Gilbert Rivera, had been arguing throughout the day about Almonte being disrespectful to their mother. At some point, Almonte told Rivera that if he didn’t leave him alone, he would shoot him. Rivera then retrieved his brother’s rifle and handed it to him while in the garage, daring Almonte to shoot him. Armed with the rifle, Almonte allegedly backed Rivera into a corner of the garage and then fired twice at close range, striking Rivera in the arm and leg.
When Volusia County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the residence in the 800-block of Vicksburg Street just before 4 p.m., Almonte emerged from the rear sliding glass doors of the house with his arms raised and was immediately taken into custody. Deputies then assembled an entry team to clear the residence. After making entry, they found Rivera laying on the garage floor with injuries to his arm and leg.
Rivera was then airlifted by Sheriff’s helicopter to Central Florida Regional Hospital in Sanford for treatment of his gun shot wounds. Another man, 21-year-old Tilar Harris, was nearby when the shooting occurred and suffered injuries to his arm and lower leg that is believed to be from bullet ricochet. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, according the the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s investigators have charged Almonte with one count of attempted murder in the shooting of Rivera and one count of attempted felony murder in the shooting of Harris. Almonte has been transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail in Daytona Beach, where he initially will be held without bond.
Image Credit: Volusia County Jail
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