Deputies: Juvenile steals weapons, threatens to shoot and kill others

Florida deputies investigated multiple juveniles in an incident involving threats to shoot and kill other people.

On Tuesday, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call from a concerned father who believed his son ran away with two handguns to fight with another group of juveniles, according to a press release from the sheriff ’s office. He told deputies the altercation was taking place at Holland Park in Palm Coast.

Deputies split their resources between the father’s home and Holland Park.

Upon seeing deputies at the park, the juvenile returned home, where he spoke to deputies while his father was present, officials said. The teen told authorities he took two guns and some cash from his older brother “for his protection.” He admitted he planned on using the guns to scare the other juveniles.

Officials searched his phone and found several messages to others, threatening to shoot and kill them. They arrested him for grand theft, two counts of grand theft of a firearm and sending written threats to kill. When they arrested the juvenile, he did not have the guns.

On Wednesday, Criminal Intelligence Unit and Problem Crime Area Enforcement (PACE) Unit visited two of the juvenile’s friends in search of the guns. They found one of the weapons behind the home in a wooded area. There were two juveniles in the house during the investigation. However, they are not facing charges at this time, according to the press release.

The PACE Unit is looking into who stored the guns near the home.

Finally, on Thursday, detectives searched for another friend of the juvenile who took the handguns. They found the friend hiding at his girlfriend’s house and the missing gun in her drawer, according to officials. Authorities charged the juvenile with possessing a firearm by a minor, evidence tampering and grand theft of a firearm.

“Parents, be the sheriff in your home and talk to your children on how to handle disagreements,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “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.”