OCALA, Fla. (CBS12) — A Florida teen is behind bars after firing shots at a bonfire that was celebrating a high school’s homecoming.
On September 28, deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call about the shooting that occurred on SE 52nd Court in Ocala at a bonfire that was intended to celebrate Forest High School’s homecoming.
According to the 911 caller, a physical fight ensued, which led to the suspect pulling out a handgun and firing multiple shots at a juvenile victim. Deputies say the victim was not injured when the shots were fired.
See also: Florida arrest fuels debate over dropping the term ‘child pornography’ from state law
The sheriff’s office says several people witnessed the incident but were unable to identify the suspect at the time. It led to deputies showing a still photo on the MCSO’s social media pages in an attempt to identify him.
On October 3, the 17-year-old suspect was identified, leading him to deactivate his social media account and flee to Daytona.
On Tuesday, the teen was transported to the MCSO Criminal Investigations Division by his mother and taken into custody. While speaking with law enforcement, he confessed to being armed with a firearm, being involved in an altercation and threatening to shoot a group of individuals if they attacked him.
The teen was placed under arrest and taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.