NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A man was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after a shooting left one person dead at a house party on Saturday night, according to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office (PCSO).
PCSO said they arrested Wade Shackelford, 53, after they determined he shot the victim, whose identify has not been released, during an argument at a house party on Magnolia Valley Drive in New Port Richey shortly before 9 p.m.
An affidavit from PSCO stated that the victim and his girlfriend went to the party at Shackelford's house after another guest at the party invited them over.
The victim's girlfriend told officials that she saw her boyfriend and Shackelford arguing in the kitchen and, shortly after, Shackelford went into his bedroom and came out with a pistol. She alleged that when Shackelford pointed the pistol at her boyfriend, she got in between them to prevent the argument from escalating.
She stated that she did not face Shackelford directly to avoid facing the gun head-on and that's when "she then heard a gunshot then observed apparent blood spatter on a wall after the shot," according to the affidavit.
Her boyfriend, per the affidavit, walked around her and started to follow Shackelford, who was walking backward toward his bedroom. The victim's girlfriend alleged that's when Shackelford shot her boyfriend twice more. The victim then fell to the floor, and his girlfriend called 911 and tried to assist him.
A second witness told deputies that he believed the two were intoxicated and that he overheard the victim tell Shackelford "I'm gonna *** you, bro." The second witness also said he saw the victim push Shackelford while in the kitchen, which prompted him to get up from the couch to help stop the two from arguing.
At that time, per the second witness, Shackelford went into his bedroom and came back out with a pistol, and while pointing it at the victim, he said something along the lines of "not in my house." Shackelford, per the witness, then fired his gun three times.
A third witness also told deputies he saw the victim push Shackelford while in the kitchen and heard Shackelford say, "not in my house," before shooting toward the victim three times.
During an interview, Shackelford told deputies he had just met the victim and his girlfriend and that while on speakerphone with his ex, the victim said, "your boyfriend is gay." Soon after, per Shackelford, "the victim placed a shot glass full of alcohol in front of the [him] and stated, 'drink this shot, or I will ******* kill you.'"
Shackelford went on to say that the victim became aggressive, and "his eyes turned black," which scared him and caused him to go into his bedroom and get his gun. As he pointed the gun at the victim, Shackelford said he yelled at him to get out of his house but that the victim walked towards him, so he shot at him. He told deputies he only fired his gun once.
Deputies said after responding to the scene, the victim was pronounced dead from several gunshot wounds, including to his shoulder and chest.
Shackelford was transported to Pasco Detention Center without incident. He is being charged with second-degree murder.
