An 11-year-old has been arrested on charges of shooting two teenagers at a football practice in Central Florida.
Police say the 11-year-old shot and injured two 13-year-olds after they got in a fight at football practice.
Apopka Police Chief Mike McKinley says one victim was shot in the arm, the other in the torso. Both are expected to make a full recovery.
“It's a sad day when an 11-year-old can gain access to a firearm, and additional charges are probably pending against some adults," said McKinley.
McKinley says the child's mother might be charged too.
According to police, the boy used his mother's gun. They say it was left out in the open in her car. Florida law requires guns to be kept in a secure, locked container or box around minors.
McKinley says he can't remember anything like this ever happening in his last eight years as a police chief. But says sadly, gun violence amongst young people is rising in Central Florida.
"As a society, we need to reflect on this. We see this way too often in our society now of juveniles, young juveniles and they're getting younger every day that have access to guns," said McKinley. "But the more disturbing part is that they believe that that gun and firearm is a resolution to their problems. And it's not a resolution to anybody's problems. It just creates more problems for everybody involved."
McKinley says he's grateful that only two people were injured in the incident that took place at a packed Northwest Recreation Center.
"But obviously everybody's upset that this occurred, and just thankful. And we all thank God that nobody was hurt more seriously than what they were because this could have been a very tragic incident. There were a lot of people around the area where this occurred," said McKinley. "And fortunately, you know, it didn't end up worse."
According to the Gun Violence Archive, as of May 31 over 17,000 people in the U.S. have died in 2023 as a result of guns, including by suicide.
