OAN’s Stephanie Stahl
1:00 PM – Tuesday, October 3, 2023
An 11-year-old boy in central Florida has been arrested after allegedly shooting two of his football teammates, both aged 13, following a dispute after practice.
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According to authorities, the boy retrieved a gun from his mother’s car following the fight at practice and fired a single shot at each victim. One of the teens was struck in the torso, and the other was hit in the arm.
The victim who was hit in the arm was treated and released from the hospital the same night, while the victim hit in the torso was later determined to be in a stable condition after undergoing surgery.
The young assailant is facing one count of attempted second-degree murder, Apopka Police Chief Michael McKinley said during a news conference on Tuesday morning.
The boy’s mother may also be charged in the incident, as the firearm was not properly locked up and stored.
The shooter’s mother told police that she was in the driver’s seat of her car before and during the shooting, adding that the gun was kept in an unlocked box underneath her seat and that her son knew where it was located.
McKinley described the public altercation at Northwest Recreation Complex as “not good”.
“We shouldn’t have 11-year-olds who have access to guns and think they can resolve a dispute with a firearm,” he continued.
McKinley also said that similar shootings were happening “way too often” and that children who got their hands on firearms appeared to be getting “younger every day.” In most cases, due to the negligence of their parents.
On Monday evening, Apopka police received 911 calls at about 8:18 p.m. ET and officers arrived on the scene at approximately 8:24 p.m., according to the police.
It was a crowded scene and the gunfire could have led to an even more dire result, McKinley asserted.
“We all thank god nobody was hurt more seriously than what they were,” the chief said. “This could have been a very tragic incident.”
Neither the 11-year-old attacker nor the 13-year-old victims have been identified due to their ages.
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