SUNRISE, Fla. — A family dispute over a gaming console turned violent when a 28-year-old man allegedly stabbed his 12-year-old cousin during an argument. The incident, which occurred in an apartment complex on Vista Isles Drive, resulted in non-life-threatening injuries for the child and led to the man’s arrest.
Andrew Zagazeta, of Weston, was taken into custody on July 31 and faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The altercation reportedly began a night earlier when Zagazeta used his younger cousin’s gaming console without permission. According to police reports, the boy confronted Zagazeta about this issue, prompting a heated exchange between the two.
In an attempt to diffuse the situation, their great-grandmother intervened. Though she heard the argument, she did not witness the stabbing itself, making her testimony primarily about her efforts to separate the cousins. Her involvement highlighted the escalation of the disagreement that started as a relatively common family spat.
During the confrontation, the boy admitted to briefly handling a kitchen knife, although there are no allegations that he threatened Zagazeta with it. Witness statements indicate that as the argument heated up, he returned the knife to its block. Following the great-grandmother’s intervention, the boy approached his gaming console when Zagazeta allegedly retrieved a knife from behind the television and stabbed him in the hip area.
Police later recovered the knife from behind the television, although details about how it ended up there remain unclear. The 12-year-old was transported to Broward Health Medical Center for treatment of his injury, which was described as about one centimeter deep and non-life-threatening.
Detectives interviewed the boy at the hospital, where he provided a detailed account of the sequence of events, reinforcing his initial claims about the argument and subsequent stabbing. In contrast, Zagazeta’s statement to police has not been made public, as portions of his affidavit were redacted, leaving uncertainty about his perspective on the confrontation.
Following the incident, Zagazeta was arrested and booked into the Broward County jail, where he was held on a $20,000 bond. His case has been classified as one involving domestic violence under Florida law, which includes violent offenses between family members. However, the specific relationship details and household arrangements between the cousins have not been disclosed.
Under Florida law, aggravated battery is charged when great bodily harm is inflicted or a deadly weapon is employed. The fact that the child’s injury was deemed non-life-threatening does not automatically negate the assault charge, as legal interpretations vary based on the context of weapon use.
As the investigation continues, questions remain regarding the motivations behind the altercation beyond the initial dispute over the gaming console. The case highlights the often unpredictable nature of family disputes, which can escalate rapidly and result in serious consequences. No motive beyond the argument concerning the gaming system has been substantiated, and there are no additional eyewitness accounts or surveillance footage available to clarify the situation.
Zagazeta is presumed innocent until proven guilty, and the legal proceedings will ultimately determine how this case unfolds. The child’s identity has not been released, consistent with privacy protections for minors involved in criminal cases, and updates on his condition have not been made public since his hospitalization.