Deputies: Man shoots bystander while firing at girlfriend

When Ward’s girlfriend left, Ward followed her to her car and fired several rounds, deputies said.

The bullets missed her, but one stray bullet struck the victim, who was working on a fence nearby.

“This is just so uncalled for, so dangerous,” said Jane Watrel, a spokesperson for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The victim’s friend and boss told WFTV that the victim's wife had a baby four days ago.

“We care about him deeply. You never think this would happen,” said Ryan Hippchen, who owns Dave’s Fence.

Hippchen said the victim and his brother were working together when gunfire erupted.

“His brother was here working with him today and was the one that saved his life is what they said,” said Hippchen.

Hippchen said the victim is in critical condition at the hospital with his family and 4-day-old baby by his side.

Deputies said the bullet hit the victim in the torso.

“We just want him to be OK. We don’t care about anything else,” Hippchen said.

WFTV spoke to Ward as he was being put in a deputy’s cruiser to go to jail.

“I feel sorry for the victim I shot,” he said.

Residents said there are shootings and break-ins in their neighborhood often.

“I don’t like it. Could have been me that got shot, could have been a kid,” said a resident, who asked not to be identified.

Deputies were at the scene, which is feet away from a school, for more than three hours.

“It’s heartbreaking. He was putting up a fence for a school for kids to be able to play on a playground, and an innocent person got shot,” said resident Brandy Moore.

Deputies said the victim had surgery and remains in grave condition.

Ward was taken into custody and later arrested.

Records show Ward is a convicted felon with a history of gun crimes.