A 55-year-old DeLand man was arrested after he allegedly fired a gun outside a local bar during an argument over a beer he had purchased for another man.
On Saturday, May 24, DeLand Police Department officers responded to McCabe’s Bar in reference to a shooting incident. Upon arrival, officers learned that two men – Calvin Roosevelt Gilbert and an unidentified male victim – had gotten into an argument that escalated into a shooting, according to DPD.
The police department stated that on Saturday, Gilbert had been drinking with the victim, and they did not know each other prior to that night. Several witnesses told police that Gilbert purchased a $5 beer for the victim while inside the bar.
When the bar closed, Gilbert allegedly confronted the victim in the parking lot and demanded his money back for the beer. As the argument turned heated, Gilbert allegedly approached the victim, removed a black handgun from a satchel he was wearing, and fired a single shot from approximately three feet away, according to DPD.
The victim ducked, and the bullet struck an exterior cooler before penetrating the wall of a nearby building, which was occupied at the time.
At around 2:05 a.m. on Saturday, law enforcement arrived on scene, and a single 9mm shell casing was found in the parking lot. Officers also observed physical damage that was “consistent with the shooting.”
After the shooting incident, Gilbert was allegedly seen on video surveillance footage fleeing from the area in a 1999 Nissan Quest van. The victim and bar employees were shown a photo lineup, and they positively identified Gilbert as the shooter, according to DPD.
The following day, Gilbert was located by law enforcement, placed under arrest, and booked into Volusia County Jail. He is currently being held at the facility without bond, and he is being charged with attempted first-degree murder and using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.