Child, 11, is arrested for shooting and wounding two 13-year-olds during football practice at Field of Fame in Florida after a bag of chips was knocked out of his hands
Child, 11, is arrested for shooting and wounding two 13-year-olds during football practice at Field of Fame in Florida after a bag of chips was knocked out of his hands
- An 11-year-old Florida boy is facing a second-degree murder charge after shooting two friends
- Two victims were shot by a single bullet after arguing over a bag of chips
- The alleged shooter’s mother could face criminal charges for leaving the firearm unsecured in the car, police said
An 11-year-old Florida boy has been arrested and charged after allegedly shooting two of his 13-year-old teammates during a fight over food after their soccer practice.
The boy is charged with manslaughter after he opened fire on his friends Monday night at Field of Fame in Apopka, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Orland, Florida.
‘It is a shame. No one wants to arrest an 11-year-old in any way,” said Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley.
The youth allegedly went to his mother’s car to grab an unsecured gun and shot at two 13-year-old boys – after a bag of chips was knocked out of his hands.
One victim was released from hospital, the other remained in stable condition Fox35 reported.
An 11-year-old boy is charged with manslaughter after he opened fire on his friends Monday night at Field of Fame in Apopka, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Orland, Florida.
The youth went to his mother’s car to grab an unsecured gun and shot at two 13-year-old boys – after a bag of chips was knocked out of his hands
The 11-year-old is facing a single charge of attempted murder, as the police chief said he didn’t think it was necessary to “pile charges against an 11-year-old with no criminal record.”
The child’s mother, who legally owned the gun, could face charges for leaving the firearm unsecured in the car, McKinley said.
Apopka police received 911 calls Monday evening around 8:20 p.m. and rushed to the scene at the Northwest Recreation Center complex near the football fields.
According to the police report, officers found a 13-year-old boy lying on the ground and the second holding his arm.
The alleged shooter, described as “very quiet and shy,” was “shielded” near a vehicle by a man and his mother.
He was very emotional during the arrest, crying and repeatedly saying he didn’t know where the gun was, the police report said.
The arrest report showed the juvenile gunman had an argument with two victims who allegedly bullied him over a bag of chips.
Surveillance footage from the park captured the shooting incident, but it has not yet been released to the public.
The alleged gunman can be seen opening the passenger door and reaching inside at 8:18 p.m. His mother was in the driver’s seat.
Five seconds later, he raised his arm to a victim’s back and fired one shot. The victim was shot in the back and ran away, while the same bullet targeted the other boy and grazed his elbow.
Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley (pictured) said he didn’t think it was necessary to “pile charges against an 11-year-old with no criminal history.”
“It’s unbelievable that young children who come here to play football and have fun get into fights,” the police chief said.
According to the police report, a small, purple handgun was recovered from the mother’s blue SUV. The shooter reportedly replaced it after the shooting.
It is unclear whether the mother witnessed the shooting and why she did not stop her son in the first place. But she could face criminal charges for leaving the gun in an unsecured box that was accessible to the child.
The suspect is currently being held in a juvenile detention facility. It is unclear where he will be charged as an adult.
“It’s a sad day when an 11-year-old can have access to a firearm,” McKinley said during a Tuesday morning update, adding that teens are “ruining their lives” when they try to use firearms to solve their problems.