DeLand child, parents narrowly missed by New Year’s Eve gunfire in bed, Florida man arrested

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A DeLand family of four narrowly escaped injury on New Year’s Eve after a stray bullet shot through their bedroom wall and landed—still hot to the touch—directly under a woman’s pillow.

New Year's Eve celebratory gunfire resulted in a bullet shot under the pillow of a DeLand woman's bed on Jan. 1, 2025. 

What we know:

A DeLand couple and their 7-year-old child were attempting to sleep in a bedroom on New Year's Eve when they heard people shooting guns in their neighborhood, a Jan. 1 Volusia County arrest affidavit said. 

The couple's 4-year-old son was also in the house. 

A bullet found, damage to the house

White plaster from their bedroom wall scattered around the room. When the couple inspected the damage, they found a bullet – still hot to touch – under the woman's pillow. 

Investigators found a bullet hole near the bedroom window, a hole in the wall and damaged plastic panels. The hole in the wall was level with the bed, directly beside where a person's head would rest – below the pillow, a detective investigated. 

The bullet stopped inches from where the family was lying down, the affidavit said. 

Pieces of broken plastic were also scattered around the backyard, the affidavit said. Detectives found around 30 shell casings on the ground. 

A witness identifies the suspects

A neighbor said the shooting – that took place shortly after midnight – was caused by four people. The neighbor said he saw a man and woman firing a gun toward the ground while another man reloaded the gun. 

Axel Gomez, 21, of DeLeon Springs, was arrested on a charge of shooting into an occupied dwelling. 

Two others, Amy Gomez and Ken Newbold, both 25, are facing charges of recklessly discharging a firearm in a residential area for also shots during New Year's Eve, the arrest affidavit said. 

Suspects' accounts

Deputies later found four people in a Chevy truck, identified as Axel Gomez – the driver – Amy Gomez and Ken Newbold – described as romantic partners – and Axel's brother, who was not charged. 

Axel confirmed that he owned the vehicle and the gun, which was found in the glovebox. He claimed he was shooting at the ground and denied shooting anything in the air or at the residence. When a neighbor started yelling, Axel said they stopped shooting and left to get groceries. 

Newbold said Axel was the only shooter, however, Amy said she, Newbold and Axel all fired shots, the affidavit said. 

They all said they were not aware that firing a gun in a residential area without proper acreage and without a backstop was illegal, the arrest affidavit said.