HERNANDO COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) says they arrested a man they believe was involved in a shooting that happened Sunday.
Deputies say on Sunday, Jan. 28, they responded to a home on Kimball Court around 9 a.m. after receiving a call from a man who told them someone fired shots into his home while he was sleeping.
When deputies arrived, they say the man told them that the garage area of his home had been converted into a room and that he was sleeping in it when he was awakened by the “sound of a gunshot and the feeling of something passing by his head,” stated the sheriff’s office in a Facebook post.
He told them that he then noticed a hole inside of his garage door and that’s when he called 911. The caller also told deputies that he believed the incident was gang related. Meanwhile, deputies say they found two 9mm shell casings in the road in front of the home.
HCSO detectives were able to gather information helping them develop 29-year-old Stacey Barnes as a suspect in the shooting. They say they tracked Barnes’ car to a home on Omaha Circle in Spring Hill where they obtained search warrants for both the home and the car.
During an interview at the sheriff’s office, deputies say Barnes admitted to shooting at the home on Kimball Court. They say he told them that he did it because a person living there owes him $2,000.
“Barnes intended to scare the person, in hopes of receiving the money in a timely manner,” stated HCSO.
They say Barnes also told them that he “fired into the garage” to avoid hitting anyone.
Deputies arrested him and charged him with firing a weapon in public or on residential property and for firing a missile into an occupied dwelling, vehicle, or aircraft. His bond was set at $20,000.
The sheriff’s office says this is still an active investigation and is asking anyone with any additional information regarding the case to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers. You can call them at 1-866-990-8477 or submit a tip online here. You will remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward up to $5,000.