- January 29, 2025
-
-
Loading
Loading
Ormond Beach Police have arrested a 66-year-old Holly Hill man who shot a man Tuesday morning while making a "citizen's arrest" for the theft of his car battery charger.
Police responded to the first block of Seville Street in Ormond Beach around 7:52 a.m. after receiving a call about a shooting. Once on the scene, officers found the victim laying on the grass with a gunshot wound to his right thigh area. The shooter, Ivan Arsenault, told officers that he had been at his home when a man in a sweatshirt wearing a bulletproof vest asked him about charging his dead car battery.
Arsenault told him he couldn't help him, according to his arrest report, at which point the victim stole the charger off Arsenault's vehicle and took off running. Arsenault chased the victim in his vehicle, telling police he "rammed" him with his vehicle to get him to stop running. Then, he exited his vehicle with his firearm and told the victim he was making a "citizen's arrest." He attempted to put the victim on the ground, the report states, at which point the altercation became physical and a nearby homeowner got involved, hitting the victim with a chair. During the struggle, Arsenault shot the victim.
Police believed the victim "did not have full mental capacity," according to the arrest report, as he told officers that the "Space Force" told him to check on houses and ask for help getting his vehicle started.
Two witnesses were approached by Arsenault prior to the shooting to ask if they had seen the victim. Arsenault explained that the victim had stolen his car battery charger and when one of them asked why he didn't call 911. Arsenault "mumbled that the guy was a vagrant and waste of tax dollars," according to the arrest report.
In a statement, Ormond Beach Police said that there is no active threat to the community and that all parties involved have been identified.
"Also, in situations like this, if there’s an altercation or if you witness any suspicious behavior from anyone, we strongly encourage you to contact law enforcement immediately," OBPD stated. "It's important to let us intervene, as the safest course of action is often not to handle the situation yourself. We are here to protect and support our community."
