Florida Man Arrested After Shooting Neighbor He Says He Mistook for a Bear Near Chicken Coop

Ariel Gonzalez Rodriguez, 25, has been arrested on a manslaughter charge after police say he fatally shot his neighbor, whom he later told officers he believed was a bear attacking his chicken coop during the night.

A warrant for Gonzalez Rodriguez's arrest was issued by the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida on July 28, charging him with manslaughter in connection with the March 27 death of 30-year-old Jason Sheffield, according to court records and an arrest affidavit.

Jason SheffieldCredit: Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens

Officers say Gonzalez Rodriguez called 911 the morning after the incident and told the dispatcher he thought he had shot and killed his neighbor. The affidavit quotes him as saying he "shot off a gun yesterday at a noise he believed to be a bear, but now believed he accidentally shot his neighbor."

Gonzalez Rodriguez's wife, Katherin Alejo Hidalgo, told investigators that around midnight she heard a loud noise in the backyard and feared a wild animal was attacking their chicken coop, which housed several farm animals. She said she woke her husband, who initially fired warning shots into the ground with a .22-caliber rifle.

Ariel Gonzalez RodriguezCredit: Collier County Jail

When the noise continued, Gonzalez Rodriguez allegedly went inside, retrieved a .30-06 rifle, loaded two rounds and walked to the northeast corner of his property near the chicken coop. The affidavit states that, because it was very dark and he could not see clearly, he raised the rifle to about waist level and fired toward the neighboring property where the sound was coming from. After the shot, the noise stopped.

Fearing he had wounded an animal and might be in danger, Gonzalez Rodriguez reportedly left the scene. The next morning he found Sheffield "lying face down in the vegetation" near the adjacent property. The chief medical examiner later ruled Sheffield's death a homicide.

The affidavit notes the two men had no known prior disputes and that both families had been socializing and grilling in Sheffield's backyard hours earlier. Sheffield is survived by his wife and four children; his obituary describes him as a "gifted guitarist, singer, and songwriter" who shared his love of music with family and friends.

Authorities continue to investigate. Gonzalez Rodriguez faces manslaughter charges; further legal proceedings will determine whether prosecutors can prove criminal liability beyond a reasonable doubt.

"Ariel was frantic as he informed the dispatcher that he shot off a gun yesterday at a noise he believed to be a bear, but now believed he accidentally shot his neighbor," the arrest affidavit states.