A man accused of firing his gun at his backyard in Miami Gardens during New Year’s Eve was arrested on Monday after more than 500 spent shell casings were found, authorities said.
Dorian Alvarenga, 28, is facing several charges, including aggravated assault with a firearm, negligence and altering a firearm.
Miami-Dade Corrections
Miami-Dade Corrections
Dorian Alvarenga
During his court appearance on Tuesday, prosecutors described the scene that was left after those shots were allegedly fired.
“There were bullet holes in the neighbor’s fence, casings found in the yard, and the neighbor was home at the house with his family and children inside,” said a prosecutor.
Alvarenga’s attorney argued that since there was a large party, it was not clear if he was the one who fired shots.
“There was a large party with multiple people,” his attorney said. “There’s nothing indicating that Mr. Alvarenga was the one who shot at the house in any way.”
The judge issued a warning to Alvarenga.
“So many people get killed from these stray bullets,” the judge said. “You’re very lucky no one was hurt.”
Ultimately, Alvarenga was given an $8,450 bond.
According to Miami Gardens Police, on Jan. 1, officers met with a victim who said he heard multiple gunshots being fired from his neighbor’s backyard while he and his family were outside in their backyard.
An arrest report said that the victim told officers that a bullet passed him and his family at a close distance, and they immediately went into their home for safety.
The victim said that after the gunfire passed, he left his home and saw people in another backyard firing their guns into the air, the report said. When officers arrived at the scene, the report said, they didn’t find anyone.
During their investigation, officers saw spent shell casing at the victim’s neighbor’s backyard and noticed several bullet holes on the metal fence that divided the two homes, the report said.
A day after meeting with the victim, officers went to search the neighbor’s home, and Alvarenga was taken outside and told officers he would talk to them, the report said. He was taken to the police station, where he told officers that he held a party at his home on New Year’s Eve with his family and his girlfriend’s family.
After the interview, Alvarenga was released.
Back at his home, the report said, over 500 spent shell casings were found in Alvarenga’s backyard, and during their search of his home, officers recovered 13 firearms.
The report said that a K-9 alerted officers to a gun that was inside a motorcycle at the home. When the gun was recovered, its serial number was erased.
No one was injured when the shots were fired.
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