Broward

Man fatally shoots girlfriend, tries to kill dad in Coral Springs home: Police

Coral Springs Police said 32-year-old Paul Digiacinto shot and killed his girlfriend inside a home on Northwest 21st Street near 107th Way

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A man is facing charges after police said he shot and killed his girlfriend and tried to kill his father inside a Coral Springs home Monday.

The incident happened at a home on Northwest 21st Street near 107th Way.

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Coral Springs Police said 32-year-old Paul Digiacinto is facing charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder and resisting arrest with violence in the incident.

Paul Digiacinto
Broward Sheriff's Office
Paul Digiacinto

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Police described it as a domestic shooting. They haven't released the identity of the girlfriend but neighbors identified her as Kyla Arce.

According to an arrest report, Digiacinto and his girlfriend had been living with his parents for about a month since Digiacinto "believed people were trying to break into his residence in Pompano Beach and he did not feel safe there."

On Monday evening, the parents said Digiacinto appeared to be under the influence of something and was "acting paranoid and believed people were following him," the report said.

Digiacinto had been "acting strange the last few days, not sleeping, not eating, and he has been paranoid about people being out to get him," and was "pacing around the residence acting strangely and taking the thermostat off the wall," the report said.

At one point, Digiacinto tried to flush their cellphones down a toilet, then came into the living room naked and holding a gun, and that's when he allegedly opened fire, the report said.

The girlfriend was killed but the father wasn't hit by the gunfire, police said

The father said he started fighting with Digiacinto and was able to get the gun away from him and fired the remaining rounds so Digiacinto couldn't shoot anyone else, the report said.

Digiacinto tried gagging his father with a sock and a rag and shoved his fingers in his mouth, and the father said he stopped fighting and started to play dead, the report said.

The father said Digiacinto placed a pillow over his face and tried to smother him, and was saying "I love you dad" as he was pushing the pillow into his face, the report said.

Digiacinto picked up his father's arm and let it go, and the father said he let his arm fall as if he was unconscious, causing Digiacinto to walk away, the report said.

The report said officers responded to the neighborhood after receiving multiple 911 calls of gunshots coming from the home.

One neighbor told NBC6 she was outside when Digiacinto's mother ran out, visibly shaken, and tried to explain what happened. That neighbor called 911.

Barbara Santamaria, who lives a few doors down from the home, was at the park with her daughter and saw police speed by.

"My son, I called him I go, something's happening, all the police cars are going down Lakeview, he goes, mom, they happen to be right in front of our house,” Santamaria said. "We don't know what's happening inside each roof."

Neighbors said they watched as SWAT officers broke through the front window of this house and heard police order Digiacinto to come out the front door.

He was eventually taken into custody after a brief struggle, according to police.

"It's unfortunate that it looks like he needed help,” Santamaria said.

Neighbors said their neighborhood is normally calm and quiet. On Tuesday, they were still shaken and searching for answers.

"I was afraid,” Suzie Ecclesiaste said. "I'm sad, I can't explain because we don't love this, we don't like this, this is the first time this has happened in this neighborhood."

Digiacinto was hospitalized before he was booked into jail on Wednesday. Attorney information wasn't available.

His father was also hospitalized with multiple rib fractures and severe damage to the inside of his throat, the report said.

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