An 11-year-old boy is recovering after authorities say he was shot on the afternoon of October 14 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Officers report the shooting took place at a residence on Divison Avenue where nine children were left completely unsupervised. Sure, what could go wrong?

On Wednesday, the West Palm Beach Police Department released a 911 recording where it was the victim’s brother who pleaded with dispatchers for help.

“Somebody was playing with a gun and he got grazed…He’s okay. He’s just bleeding. He got grazed, nothing major he just needs an ambulance please,” said the caller.

Officers were dispatched immediately by the 911 operator who was stunned to hear the victim was only 11 years old. 

Some neighbors were shocked to find out the incident not only occurred in a home where so many children were left with no adult supervision but that it was sparked by a 12-year-old who had brought a pair of guns to the home that day with the intent to sell them to two other boys. Other neighbors were not so alarmed.

“No it don’t surprise me because I was raised up around here,” a neighbor told WPEC.

West Palm Beach Police Spokesperson, Mike Jachles, reported that officers arrested the 12-year-old who brought the two guns to the house, adding that neither he nor the two other boys were the shooter, nor were they residents of the home where the shooting occurred.

“The moral of the story here is—kids and guns; a dangerous combination,” said Jachles.

The 11-year-old was transported to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his leg. The West Palm Beach Police Department was able to recover one gun, which was found at the 12-year-old boy’s home.

According to police, the 12-year-old is the only person charged at this time. He is facing two counts of possession of a concealed weapon and has been transferred to a Juvenile Assessment Center. The case is being presented to the State Attorney. Since I know the issue of adult culpability is likely on your minds as well, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is currently investigating.

This incident highlights just how much can go wrong when children, lack of supervision and firearms mix, even though it should go without saying. There have been 19 unintentional shootings involving children, which have resulted in eight deaths across Florida this year. Nationwide, there have been 200 accidental child-related shootings causing 74 deaths and 128 injuries, including this one in West Palm Beach. It is important to note that many of these incidents occur in areas where crime is highly prevalent and people are already generally up to no good.

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23 COMMENTS

  7. Did the 12 year old have an FFL? If not then charge him federally for being an unlicensed gun dealer. I wonder how many guns he previously sold without an FFL or doing the required NICS check. I’m all for capitalism and free market but you gotta grow up first. He should stick to selling his mom’s Lortabs & birth control pills from her medicine cabinet.

    • Found out some 16 year old in the town across the river from my workplace was investigated for posting a bunch of pictures with guns. Turned out to be airsoft but somehow a stolen actual select fire full auto (not a switch) was found. Waiting to see if an actual news report or police blotter comes up but unhelpful or not does seem to be more of the usual suspects (waiting for confirmation on another one involved)

  8. “moral of the story here is—kids and guns; a dangerous combination,”

    BS from the left. What are the neighborhood “demographics”. A father in the home? the questions that can’t be allowed.

    • Neiowa,

      Exactly. Responsible parents raise responsible children. Responsible children do not do what happened in this story.

      Note: I had full access to my parents’ revolver and two rifles from 4th grade all the way through high school. I never accessed them in any inappropriate or irresponsible way and I never harmed anyone with them.

  9. Charged with 2 counts of “possession of a concealed weapon” what the hell is that?!
    What kind of unconstitutional laws do they have in Florida?
    What ever happened to assault with a deadly weapon? Reckless discharge of a firearm? Conduct injurious to a minor?

    • Charged with possession of a concealed weapon so that some lawyer can get the charges dropped because Florida has permitless carry now.

  10. ““The moral of the story here is—kids and guns; a dangerous combination,” said Jachles.”

    No this is wrong. My kids have grown into young adults having never hurt themselves or others with firearms and they have been around firearms since they were 8 years old. Kids and guns are not a dangerous combination.

    Children and absentee parents are a dangerous combination. If you don’t want the 18 year responsiblity of having children – don’t have them.

  12. Another old man here, I remember shooting quite a bit when I was 12. 22, 410, 16 gauge, moved up to wing master 870 @ 14, 30-30. Never shot anybody, body slammed a couple though. Cleaned my own guns and fishing reels, dressed my own game and fish, even cooked it too. Spent a lot of time unsupervised.

  13. Not sure the statute of limitations on things like this and whether the decendants can be charged with the “offenses” of their parents (never know with democrats and liberals). In the 1910s & 20s, my Dad and literally 10s of thousands of boys ran around town with air rifles and the countryside with guns as big as Buffalo rifles and no one was hurt.

    I’m guessing some trading and selling went on, but likely only with parental consent. Parents were both around, and respected back then.

    Those “dangerous” kids became the core of military service and leadership in WWII.

    The difference is the degree of influence by liberalism in all areas of life and society between then and now.

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