A draft beer at a bar. Credit: AI image.
DeLand, FL – A dispute over a $5 beer at McCabe’s Bar in downtown DeLand turned violent early Saturday morning, May 24, 2025, when a Florida man allegedly fired a gunshot at another man.
The incident began inside McCabe’s Bar, where 55-year-old Calvin Roosevelt Gilbert, who had been drinking with a man he had just met, purchased a beer for the victim.
As the bar closed, Gilbert confronted the man in the rear parking lot, demanding reimbursement for the $5 drink. The disagreement escalated into a heated argument, police said.
During the confrontation, Gilbert, reportedly wearing a satchel, drew a black handgun and fired a single shot at the victim from approximately three feet away.
The victim avoided injury by ducking, and the bullet struck an exterior cooler, penetrating the wall of the occupied building.
Officers from the DeLand Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene around 2:05 a.m. Investigators recovered a single 9mm shell casing and confirmed physical damage consistent with the shooting.
Surveillance footage captured Gilbert fleeing on foot before driving off in a tan 1999 Nissan Quest van, heading north on N. Amelia Avenue.
Both the victim and bar staff identified Gilbert through a photo lineup, and both parties expressed their intent to press charges. No injuries were reported in the incident.
On Sunday, May 25, 2025, DeLand police arrested Gilbert, who was booked into the Volusia County Branch Jail without bond.
The Florida man faces charges of attempted first-degree murder and using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
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