‘I’m a dumbass:’ Man drunkenly fires gun into Volusia County home after shooting at tree

38-year-old Alex Kudlack faces multiple charges

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A 38-year-old man faces several charges amid accusations of firing a gun into a home near DeLand while intoxicated on Sunday, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they responded to a home on Evergreen Terrace after a family called 911 when they noticed bullets flying into their home.

“I know it went through my son’s window,” a person at the home told deputies.

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According to a news release, deputies evacuated children and adults from the home and started searching the area.

After searching the neighborhood, it was determined that a nearby neighbor on Virginia Avenue – identified as Alex Kudlack – was intoxicated and shooting at a tree in his backyard.

38-year-old Alex Kudlack (Volusia County Sheriff's Office)

“Yeah, I’m a dumbass,” Kudlack can be heard saying on body camera video as deputies question him at his home.

Body camera footage also captures a number of bullet holes in a fence behind Kudlack’s home near the tree he is accused of shooting at.

According to the release, nobody was injured in the shooting.

[WATCH THE BODYCAM VIDEO IN THE MEDIA PLAYER BELOW]

Homeowner Heather Barlip told News 6 that she was sitting on the front porch playing games when she heard the shots.

“That’s when my older son came running out with his baby and told me that a bullet came through his window...” she said. “Next time, think about where you’re at before you start shooting targets or whatever you’re doing — and especially don’t get intoxicated while you’re doing this.”

Meanwhile, Barlip’s son Salvador Sotelo said he was afraid for his 2-month-old child, who was in the house at the time.

“I didn’t really believe it at first, but when I heard the impact and the window breaking, all I could think of was to run out the room with my son,” he said.

Kudlack was arrested and faces charges of one count of shooting into a dwelling, one count of using a firearm while under the influence, two counts of child endangerment and one count of criminal mischief.

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About the Authors
Jacob Langston headshot

Jacob joined ClickOrlando.com in 2022. He spent 19 years at the Orlando Sentinel, mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist, before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021.