A Florida man has been taken into custody after allegedly shooting and killing his neighbor’s son in front of his eight-year-old following an argument over tree branches between their properties.
Edward Druzolowski, 78, is accused of fatally shooting Brian Ford, 42, while the young man was doing yard work for his mother at her home in DeLeon Springs, Volusia County.
On September 17, police received two reports of a shooting around 7:13 p.m. at 1880 Alameda Drive. According to court documents, Druzolowski said he was watching a football game when his wife told him Ford was cutting branches on their property.
Druzolowski held the gun behind his back as he entered the yard to approach Ford. He told the young man to “get off” his property, to which he said Ford responded “something along the lines of ‘Mind your own business.’
Druzolowski then pointed the gun at Ford as they continued to argue, according to the older man.
Edward Druzolowski, 78, is accused of shooting and killing his neighbor’s son
The victim, Brian Ford, 42, was doing yard work with his 8-year-old son nearby when he was shot.
Ford’s mother said the neighbor pointed the gun at her and her grandson after shooting Ford.
The 78-year-old threatened to shoot him, even going so far as to pull the trigger, because the first two cartridges were left empty “for safety reasons.”
As Ford continued to advance, Druzolowski pulled the trigger again, which fired the gun.
After he shot her, 911 calls were made. The victim’s mother, Linda Ford, told police that her son was trimming trees at her home when the neighbor shot him. She also said Ford’s eight-year-old son was at his side when the gun went off.
“I need an emergency immediately!” My neighbor just shot my son! » the woman said frantically.
In another call, Druzolowski insisted that her husband did not intend to kill his neighbor.
“My husband took his gun but I think he wanted to scare him but I think he killed him,” the woman said.
“He killed your neighbor?” the dispatcher said.
“I think so, he’s not moving.”
The young man was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was cutting tree branches on a fence between properties.
Druzolowski was watching television when his wife told him the neighbor’s son was on their property.
What followed was an argument between the two men, with Druzolowski telling Ford to leave his property and Ford responding, “Mind your own business.”
The first two deputies on scene attempted lifesaving measures, but Ford was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived.
The victim’s mother said WESH2 that she was barely functioning after the terrible news of her son’s death, but that she had to think about her grandchildren now. In addition to the 8-year-old, Brian also has an 18-year-old son.
Linda Ford said Brian came over for the weekend for a birthday party. He and his youngest son were out of sight when a loud noise rang out.
“I heard a loud boom, then the little one started screaming, ‘He shot my dad!’ He shot my father!” she said.
She insisted that her son worked on her property and not the neighbor’s.
“My fence is two feet inside my garden. So I go two meters out of my fenced area again,” she said.
The suspect allegedly pointed his gun at her and her grandson.
‘Ed kept pointing the gun at him. He told her, “Shut up, kid,” she said.
“And then Ed pointed the gun at me. He was walking towards the fence, I backed away and was screaming in the yard.
Linda Ford, the victim’s mother, says her son was actually on her property because she still owns two feet of land outside the fence.
She is grieving but must think about taking care of her grandchildren now that their father is gone.
The elderly man’s appointed public defender argued that he had no criminal record and should be released on bond.
Druzolowski said the young man had a “reputation” for being in trouble with the law, but never had any trouble with him before the fatal shooting.
Druzolowski told detectives he had never been in trouble with Ford before, but that he stopped speaking with the young man years ago because his “reputation” for getting in trouble with the law “scared him”.
He added that he was trying to avoid being thrown to the ground during the altercation because it “would have hurt a lot” because of his osteoporosis.
Court documents show two knives and the chainsaw Ford used to cut down the trees were found near his body.
But Assistant Prosecutor Dustin Haven said Druzolowski admitted the victim was unarmed and made no threats.
The 78-year-old’s public defender, Larry Avallone, argued his case for bail before retiring from his role as attorney on September 19.
Volusia County Sheriff Michael Chitwood called the crime “senseless” and said he didn’t think it would be covered by the state’s Stand Your Ground rule, which says a person can use deadly force.if he or she reasonably believes that the use or threat of such force is necessary to avoid imminent death or serious injury.
Druzolowski was charged with second-degree murder with a firearm. He is being held without bail at the Volusia County Jail in Daytona Beach.