We told you there was going to be a lot of insane violence this summer and we weren't kidding.
A 12-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were in a shootout with deputies Tuesday night in Volusia County after the children broke into a house and armed themselves with guns, including an assault rifle, they found inside, Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.
Eight deputies fired over 60 rounds during the incident, Chitwood said, and they have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s investigation. The children fired at the deputies on four separate occasions.
The girl was taken to Central Florida Regional Hospital with life-threatening injuries after being shot in the chest and abdomen, Chitwood said. During a Wednesday press conference, Chitwood said she was in critical, but stable, condition and credited deputies’ quick action to saving her life.
“None of us want to see her die,” he said.
No deputies were injured in the incident, though body-worn camera footage released by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Wednesday afternoon shows the children shooting at responding officers.
Charges of attempted first-degree murder and armed burglary against the two are pending, VCSO said. The children had run away from Florida United Methodist Children’s Home in Enterprise and were reported missing around 5 p.m. It was also reported the boy, who hit a member of the Methodist group with a stick before leaving, was diabetic and in need of medication. - Orlando Sentinel