Florence man convicted of manslaughter in death of friend during homecoming party

FLORENCE, Ariz. (AP) - The son of a Florence police officer has been convicted of manslaughter in the 2013 death of a friend during a homecoming party.

A Pinal County Superior Court jury found 32-year-old Andrew Salazar guilty on Wednesday.

Prosecutors were seeking to convict Salazar on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Robert DeArman.

The two men were socializing in October 2013 when authorities say Salazar pulled a gun from his backpack. A witness reported seeing the gun in Salazar's hand shortly after hearing a gunshot.

Salazar will be sentenced on July 19.

The Casa Grande Dispatch reports Salazar already is serving a seven-year prison term for having a weapon on the night of the shooting.

He was on probation at the time and was prohibited from owning a gun.