Man shot during dispute with roommate, Seminole deputies say

Deputies: Dennis Mijares Diaz charged after incident

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – One person was injured after an argument between roommates evolved into a shooting Saturday morning, according to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded Friday night to a home in the 100 block of Alder Avenue in unincorporated Altamonte Springs regarding a disturbance.

Deputies said there was a confrontation between Dennis Mijares Diaz, 29, and Isiah Dennis, 32. They both lived at the home, but neither wished to prosecute and the situation was resolved.

Around 10 a.m. Saturday, deputies returned to the home after a report of a shooting with injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office.

"I panicked. When I seen the shotgun, I seen his finger on the trigger and I was already scared," Dennis said.

Deputies said Dennis suffered a non-life-threatening wound to his shoulder. Deputies said he was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

"As I was passing by his room, he was standing out there and he asked me if I had a problem, and I said, 'No,'" Dennis said.

Investigators determined that Diaz and Dennis were involved in an ongoing dispute over household expenses, deputies said. They were arguing on the south side of the residence Saturday morning when Diaz pulled the trigger on the shotgun he was holding.

Deputies said several of the pellets from the shotgun shell struck Dennis in the shoulder.

News 6 spoke to the wife of Diaz, who did not want to go on camera, who said the victim had brought a gun to the house Friday night during the dispute.

Diaz was taken into custody without incident. Deputies said he was arrested for attempted first-degree premeditated homicide and booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility.

Diaz remains incarcerated with no bond, deputies said.

Later Saturday night, Dennis was arrested on an unrelated charge. Seminole County deputies said Dennis pulled his girlfriend's hair, pushed her head and forced her into a black SUV at a liquor store in Altamonte Springs.

He was charged with domestic violence battery.


About the Authors:

Troy Blevins is a Digital Content Editor who has been with Graham Media Group since 2012.

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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