On Oct. 4, a Florida judge ruled that an 11-year-old football player arraigned for reportedly shooting two teammates over potato chips will remain in juvenile custody for approximately 21 days. He’s on suicide watch, Fox 35 reported.
Judge Reginald Whitehead presided in the Ninth Judicial Circuit and heard arguments from the defense and prosecutors, along with the testimony of one of the victim’s aunts. It was the boy’s first court appearance. The 11-year-old’s lawyer, Rob Mandell, requested the judge grant the boy’s release to home detention. He argued that the incident traumatized the kid and “holding him for 21 days” while on suicide watch would change his life.
“I understand what the law calls for, and I understand what he scores, but I believe these are extenuating circumstances, and these are circumstances that should be tailored to meet the needs of a juvenile that needs help,” Mandell said. “He needs help.”
But prosecutors affirmed the 11-year-old intentionally decided to grab the firearm and shoot. Shauna Simon, the aunt of one of the victims, testified and asked the judge to keep the boy in custody.
“My nephew said he thinks he would get out and do it again with the same carelessness that he handled the situation that day,” Simon told Whitehead.
Prosecutors believe the child should be held accountable but haven’t pressed charges because they don’t know the proper punishment for an 11-year-old. He’s too young to be charged as an adult in the state.
According to WFTV, the shooting incident occurred on Monday night, Oct. 2, after football practice ended at the Northwest Recreation Complex near Jason Dwelley Parkway in Apopka, FL.
Surveillance captured the 11-year-old running to his mom’s car and opening the front passenger door. She thought he was getting in the vehicle, but when he grabbed the gun from an unlocked box under her passenger seat, she got out and ran after her son to stop him. Unfortunately, she was too late.
He retrieved her gun while one of the 13-year-old victims chased him before turning around. The outlet reported the 13-year-old bullied the 11-year-old, and they were fighting over a bag of potato chips.
The 11-year-old approached the 13-year-old from behind with the gun raised. A few people around them ran off when they saw him with the weapon.
The 11-year-old allegedly shot the 13-year-old in the back and a second victim, 13, in the elbow with the same bullet.
He was arrested on an attempted second-degree murder charge.
The 13-year-old shot in the elbow was released from the hospital while the other remains at the hospital in stable condition, recovering from extensive injuries, according to prosecutors.
Simon doesn’t blame the suspect for his actions but said it was on his parent.
“That is an event where kids are supposed to be having fun, learning how to get along together and win games and learn how to be family,” Simon said. “That did not display that. … I feel that the parent is more responsible than the child, ’cause what are y’all teaching your child that he thinks it’s OK to go and get a gun and shoot somebody?”
*WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO*
