CASSELBERRY, Fla. – What began as a fight between two men about an extramarital affair escalated into one of the men shooting at officers, forcing them to return fire, according to the Casselberry Police Department.
Police said they were called to a disturbance at a home on Griggs Avenue around 9:22 p.m. and found Joseph Hoffman, 41, who was brandishing a firearm, arguing with a 37-year-old man.
Officials said Hoffman went to the home to confront the victim and his wife because the victim once had an intimate encounter with Hoffman's wife. The victim's wife went inside with her children and called 911 as the two men argued outside, the report said.
When Officer Zachary Price and Officer Thomas Graffy arrived on the scene, they repeatedly told Hoffman to drop his weapon, but he refused, according to an arrest report. When the victim tried to run toward the officers for safety Hoffman opened fire, shooting the victim in the arm and the leg, police said.
Price and Graffy returned fire, shooting Hoffman at least once and causing him to fall to the ground, officials said. Hoffman fell to the ground with the gun underneath his body, according to the affidavit.
Hoffman was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and was listed in stable but critical condition as of Sunday afternoon.
Neither officer was injured.
The shooting happened in front of Gabe Quinones' home and gunshots went through his house. He said thankfully, his wife and 7-year-old daughter were not home.
"It went through the garage, through the living room and through my kitchen, all the way across, so if we were home, we could have been in the line of fire," Quinones said.
He said the gunshots also hit his car outside.
"The shots were like boom, boom, boom," neighbor Max Rygheko said.
"Until the detectives complete their investigation, more specific details cannot be released at this time," Casselberry Police Department officials said in a news release.
Hoffman has been charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting. Police said further charges are pending.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the officer-involved shooting. Price, a three-year veteran, and Graffy, a nearly four-year veteran, have been placed on administrative duty.