‘Close call:’ Family awoken after bullet splatters bedroom, Volusia sheriff says

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A family was woken up on New Year’s Eve after someone fired off rounds into their home, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.

In a release, deputies said that the incident happened at a DeLand-area home in Daytona Park Estates.

“A family of 4 was asleep around midnight when they heard multiple gunshots coming from a neighboring property,” the release reads. “Pieces of drywall scattered across the bedroom.”

According to investigators, a bullet was found beneath the pillow where a woman was sleeping, and five bullet holes were discovered along the exterior of the house.

On Thursday, deputies announced that 21-year-old Axel Gomez — who lives nearby and admitted to firing shots into the ground — was arrested on a charge of shooting into an occupied dwelling.

Meanwhile, two others — Amy Gomez, 25, and Ken Newbold, 25 — have also been accused of firing shots during a New Year’s Eve celebration.

They face charges of recklessly discharging a firearm in a residential area.

The family of four, who asked not to be identified, says they were asleep just minutes into the New Year when they were jolted awake by loud gunfire outside their bedroom. A mother and father say it was a terrifying moment, especially with their two kids in the house.

“I saw the bullet right next to my pillow, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, a bullet just came through the house,’” she aid.

She recalled feeling the heat from a round that entered the home.

“It was hot — very hot,” they said.

The family initially thought they were hearing fireworks mixed with gunshots. Moments later, the walls began to vibrate as bullets tore through the structure.

The family says investigators told them that at least five bullets entered the home and did not exit, likely lodging in the foundation.

According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, the shots were fired as part of celebratory gunfire. An arrest report also notes deputies recovered at least 30 shell casings from the area.

The incident has left the family deeply shaken and struggling to feel safe in their own home.

“We haven’t been back in the bedroom,” He goes on to say, “I’ve been trying to sleep for 36 hours and just can’t.”

The parents say they are especially thankful their two young children — ages seven and four — were not hurt.

“It was scary because he didn’t know what was going on,” she said.

The family hopes the raises awareness when it comes to the dangers of using gunfire for celebratory reasons.

One detail continues to haunt them: their youngest child usually sleeps against the wall where a bullet entered the home.

“By the grace of God, he fell asleep in his own bed that night,” she said. “He normally sleeps against that wall.”

Now, a visible bullet hole in their home serves as a reminder of how close the situation came to turning tragic.