Juvenile arrested after stealing gun, threatening to kill others, Flagler sheriff says
A father called the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office this week to alert deputies that his son had possibly gone to Holland Park to confront some juveniles. Shortly after, the father called again to say two handguns were missing from his home and that his son had possibly stolen them, according to a press release from the Flagler County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies responded to the park and to the father’s home, and the investigation led to the son’s arrest. The boy told deputies he took the guns to frighten the other juveniles, according to the release.
“Thank you to the father of (juvenile) who saw something and said something! Because of his actions and responding FCSO deputies, a potentially deadly altercation between juveniles was likely avoided,” Sheriff Rick Staly stated in the release.
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The incident happened on Tuesday when the father reported the guns missing and told deputies his son ran away and was possibly going to Holland Park.
Deputies responded to the house, then the park. They returned to the house shortly after and so did the son. The son told deputies that he has had an ongoing dispute with other juveniles, the release stated. The News-Journal is not naming him because of his age.
He said that he had taken two handguns and cash from his older brother “for his protection” and then went to Holland Park, which the other juveniles also frequented. He said when he arrived at the park, he saw the deputies and decided to return home, the release stated.
After more questions, the son stated “he had intended to scare the other juveniles with the guns while at the park,” the release stated.
A search of the son’s phone showed several threats sent to others mentioning shooting them and killing them, according to the release.
The son was taken into custody and charged with sending written threats to kill, grand theft ($750 - $5,000), and two counts of grand theft of a firearm.
The son did not have the firearms when he returned home.
On Wednesday, detectives went to the home of two of the son’s friends. Detectives found one of the guns in the woods behind the house. The two juvenile friends are not facing charges at this time, but the investigation is continuing as to who placed the guns in the woods, the release stated.
On Thursday, detectives talked to another juvenile, who had been hiding at his girlfriend’s house, the release stated. Detectives found the second stolen gun in a dresser drawer in the girlfriend’s bedroom, the release stated.
The juvenile friend was charged with possession of a firearm by a minor, tampering with evidence and grand theft of a firearm.
The first juvenile has not been an in-person student in Flagler County schools since the 2021-22 school year and is currently a virtual iFlagler student, the release stated. The other juvenile found at his girlfriend's house has never been enrolled in Flagler schools. Both juveniles were turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice where they remained on Friday, the release stated.
All parents and/or guardians were cooperative with the investigation at both homes, the release stated.
In the press release, Staly praised the work of his deputies and detectives and asked parents to talk to their children.
“Parents, be the sheriff in your home and talk to your children on how to handle disagreements,” Staly said. “Taking a gun to an argument is not it! If you don’t, we will be the sheriff to your children and the outcome will likely be an arrest.”
He continued: "I also commend our K-9 Unit, school resource deputies, Community Policing Division and detectives for quickly intervening to get these guns out of the hands of juveniles before someone could get hurt or killed.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Flagler juvenile accused of stealing gun, threatening to kill others
