After further investigation, Apopka police have arrested and charged an 11-year-old juvenile with attempted second-degree murder in the Monday, October 2, shooting at the Northwest Recreation Complex, which resulted in the injury of two 13-year-old youths.
Police announced the arrest early morning on Tuesday, October 3. Apopka Chief Michael McKinley held a press conference at the Apopka Police Department on E. Sixth Street that morning.
According to police in a media statement, the 11-year-old removed the firearm from a vehicle and fired one round that struck both victims.
One of the victims was treated at Arnold Palmer Hospital for a gunshot wound to the arm and has been released. The other victim is still at Arnold Palmer Hospital in stable condition after undergoing surgery.
On October 2 at 8:20 p.m., Apopka police responded to a shooting at the Northwest Recreation Complex football field. Officers arrived at 8:24 p.m. and detained the shooter. They also located the two victims with gunshot wounds.
Based on the preliminary investigation, investigators have determined that the three youths, participating in Pop Warner Football practice, became engaged in an altercation that led to one juvenile retrieving a firearm from a vehicle. The juvenile then fired one shot that struck two juveniles in the parking lot. The injured were then transported to the hospital.
The incident was captured on surveillance video at the Northwest Recreation Complex. The video and the report were released once they were redacted. Due to the age of those involved in this incident, their names or images are not being released, police say.
The investigation into how the 11-year-old was able to access the firearm is still under investigation. Additional charges may be forthcoming, police say.
The Apopka Chief and The Planter are weekly community newspapers, independently owned and family operated, that have served the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923 and 1965 respectively.
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