ORLANDO, Fla. – A 51-year-old Orlando man is facing multiple charges after allegedly firing a gun at a neighbor during a heated dispute over cleaning up after a dog.
The incident occurred Tuesday night at the Debra Metrowest Apartments, located near Florida’s Turnpike and South Kirkman Road. Residents reported hearing a loud gunshot around 10 p.m.
“We were eating dinner when we heard it,” said Stephanie Angelone, a resident at the complex. “I looked at him and said, ‘Is that a gunshot?’”
According to an Orlando Police arrest report, the victim was walking his dog when neighbor Cristiano Lamanna began yelling from his second-floor balcony, demanding the victim pick up after the pet. The argument escalated quickly. Police say Lamanna left his apartment armed with a pistol and confronted the man in a nearby stairwell.
During the encounter, the victim reportedly asked, “Are you going to shoot me?” At that point, Lamanna allegedly pointed the weapon at the victim’s face and fired — with the round passing near the man’s ear but not striking him.
Shortly after the incident, officers arrived and arrested Lamanna without incident.
He was booked into the Orange County Jail on charges of:
Aggravated assault with a firearm
Discharging a firearm on residential property
In a court appearance Wednesday, Lamanna’s attorney said the case falls under Florida’s “stand your ground” law, asserting Lamanna was on his own property at the time of the incident and acted lawfully.
“A stand your ground motion will be forthcoming,” the attorney stated, also noting that Lamanna has no prior criminal history.
Residents say the situation is shocking.
“It’s ridiculous that something so minor could escalate like that,” Angelone said. “It’s very Florida.”
Lamanna remains in custody with bond set at $5,100, according to jail records.
