Chase Koepke, a 26-year-old resident of the Ocala area in Florida, died on December 30, 2023, due to a gunshot wound. The incident occurred at Koepke's residence on Southwest 146th Avenue Road, just outside the city limits of Dunnellon, a small town within the Ocala metropolitan area.
The shooting is believed to have been accidental and involved Koepke's friend, Abraham Bordas, 22.
According to the arrest report, Bordas and Koepke were drinking together at the victim's home, consuming Twisted Iced Teas. Bordas admitted to being heavily intoxicated at the time of the incident, having drunk four of the tea-based malt liquors.
Bordas allegedly found Koepke’s gun, a 9 mm Canik TP9 SF Elite, and picked it up to admire it. While pointing the gun at Koepke, he said, "Wow, buddy this is a nice gun." Unaware that the gun was loaded and the safety was off, Bordas inadvertently fired the weapon, shooting Koepke once in the stomach or abdomen. Koepke immediately exclaimed, "Buddy, you shot me."
Following the shooting, Bordas called 911, and Koepke was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his wound. A woman who was also at the residence, helping with painting and washing dishes in the kitchen, witnessed the aftermath of the incident. She saw Koepke stumble off the couch, mentioned that he was shot, and attempted to stop the bleeding with paper towels before Koepke lost consciousness.
Bordas was arrested on Saturday and later released on Sunday on a $30,000 bond. He has been charged with one count of negligent homicide. During the initial interview, a detective noted Bordas's glossy, bloodshot eyes and the strong smell of alcohol on his breath, confirming his intoxicated state at the time of the incident. Bordas claimed he had never handled a gun before and was unaware that the gun was loaded or that the safety was off when he fired it.
