Central Florida man charged with attempted murder for shooting at neighbor

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Seminole County man has been charged with attempted murder after deputies say he fired a gun directly at one of his neighbors after a dispute over a dog.

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Seminole County deputies were called to a home on Harney Heights Road in Geneva Friday afternoon for reports of a shooting.

Responding deputies met with the victim who said the events leading up to the shooting actually began weeks earlier when a neighbor, identified as 59-year-old Charles Huffman, gave her his dog.

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The victim told deputies there have been “ongoing issues” between her and Huffman regarding the dog since.

On Friday afternoon, deputies say the victim told them she woke up from a nap to find that the power to the home had been turned off. The victim claimed Huffman had flipped the external breaker to the home, as he had done previously.

According to the sheriff’s office, the victim said she went outside to flip the breaker and restore the power, but it was shut off again right after she walked back into the home.

That’s when the victim said she looked out her window and saw Huffman’s other dog walking in front of her house. Fearing that Huffman was at the home, the victim said she armed herself with a pistol and went outside.

According to the sheriff’s office, upon walking out of her door, the victim saw Huffman standing in front of the home with his own gun pointed at her.

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The victim said she told Huffman to leave the property or she would shoot him, at which point Huffman fired a shot that grazed her neck and went through her front window.

The victim said she fired one shot back at Huffman and retreated into her house as Huffman fired a second shot that hit her front door. The victim said she assumed Huffman then returned to his own home on Harney Heights Road.

Responding deputies surrounded Huffman’s home and made multiple announcements for him to come out. After several hours, Huffman walked out and surrendered.

Investigators determined Huffman went onto the victim’s property armed with a gun and turned off the power, knowing it would make her leave the safety of her home to restore it.

“This action appears premeditated,” deputies wrote in the report.

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Huffman was arrested on charges of attempted first-degree murder, shooting into a home, and damaging property.

He’s being held in the Seminole County jail on no bond for the attempted murder charge.

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