Palm Bay 16-year-old charged with attempted murder of juvenile at park
Editor's note: An updated arrest affidavit and Brevard County Jail's booking system displayed a charge of 1st degree murder. However, Palm Bay Police Department confirmed Monday that the boy who was shot had not died, thus meaning the charge was still attempted murder. The story has been updated to reflect the attempted murder charge.
A 16-year-old boy has been charged with attempted murder in the fatal shooting of another juvenile in a Palm Bay park three days before Christmas, police said Thursday.
The accused shooter had been charged with attempted murder after his arrest Dec. 23, but an arrest affidavit and Brevard County Jail's booking system showed that charge was upgraded to first-degree murder Thursday. However, Palm Bay Police Department's public information officer Michael Roberts confirmed Monday that the boy who had been shot did not die. He was the only person shot during the incident.
The teen, whose name FLORIDA TODAY is not disclosing, also was charged with shooting into an occupied vehicle and possession of a firearm while in commission of a felony. He was initially transported to the Brevard Juvenile Detention Center after his arrest, but was booked into the Brevard County Jail on Thursday night.
Court records show an order to transfer the teen to adult court. He was being held Saturday without bail.
The shooting took place at about 7:15 p.m. Dec. 22 in Palm Bay's Nungesser Park, with police receiving multiple calls about a shooting at the park shortly thereafter, the affidavit shows.
A juvenile boy with multiple gunshot wounds was dropped off by a friend at Palm Bay Fire Rescue Station 6, then transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center, the affidavit said. Police spoke to him at the hospital, where he was being treated for a gunshot to his right cheek, as well as other apparent gunshot wounds on the left side of his neck and left shoulder.
The boy, whose age was not disclosed, had gone to Nungesser Park with two of his friends to meet with the 16-year-old, who had asked him to meet up via Snapchat, the affidavit said. The group waited in a sedan, with the boy sitting in the front passenger seat.
The boy told police that the 16-year-old approached the car and, standing about 10 feet away, asked for the boy to confirm his identity, the affidavit said. When the boy did so, the 16-year-old pulled out a handgun and shot at him about four times, striking him in the face and upper areas of his body.
Police spoke to the boy's friend the next day, who said the boy waited until they were at the park to tell them that he was going to meet with the 16-year-old, the affidavit said. He confirmed that the 16-year-old shot at the boy and that he dropped the boy off at the fire station for help. He also identified the 16-year-old from a photographic lineup.
The 16-year-old came to the police station later that day and told police in a post-Miranda interview that he had been at Lynbrook Park during the afternoon of Dec. 22 and later went to McGriff Park. He told police he got home a little after 10 p.m. and didn't make any additional stops.
Since his arrest, the teen has also been charged with possession of a firearm by a minor.
Finch Walker is a breaking news reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Palm Bay teen facing attempted murder charge in shooting of boy at park
