Micheal Chukwuebuka, Reporting
A teenager was charged as an adult after he allegedly waved a gun on a Florida beach filled with spring breakers and then stood off with deputies.
NBC News reported that the incident in New Smyrna Beach, a city on Central Florida’s Atlantic coast, happened Thursday afternoon when deputies patrolling the beach, populated with festive spring breakers, came across a fistfight.
The video that went viral, released by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office showed a crowd formed, and a person appeared to be waving a gun. “He’s got a gun,” people in the crowd shouted.
The teen ran from deputies, who ordered him to drop the firearm, and ended up in the ocean steps away, the video showed.
The sheriff’s office said in a statement that deputies trained their handguns on the suspect, who also had a bag in hand, before he was persuaded to drop his gun, raise his hands and come to dry sand to surrender peacefully.
Stonix News reliably gathered that the recovered bag contained 20 smaller bags of cannabis.
The suspect surrendered about 5 minutes after deputies first confronted him on the sand.
R.J. Larizza, the state prosecutor for the region, identified the suspect Friday as a 16-year-old boy.
Larizza said adult charges have been filed, which he didn’t specify.
Our source, NBC News did not disclose the suspect’s name because he is a minor.
The sheriff’s office said the boy was arrested and booked on suspicion of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a person under 18, improper exhibition of a firearm, commission of a second-degree felony with a weapon, resisting a law enforcement officer, tampering with evidence and possession of marijuana for sale.
The office also said he has seven active warrants from Orange County, Florida, based on allegations that include robbery with a firearm and violation of probation.
It’s not clear whether the suspect has retained counsel.
The state public defender’s office for the region didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Larizza said he has ordered the suspect transferred from the custody of state juvenile authorities to the Volusia County Jail.
“This 16-year-old brought drugs and a gun to Volusia County during spring break.
“He will now face adult charges and serious consequences for his reckless actions.
“We welcome spring breakers, so long as they behave themselves, ” Larizza said in a statement.
