Every year, nearly 3000 children and teens die from gunfire, and nearly 14,000 are injured.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Two teens shot in south Florida fair, by 17-year old

From the article:

A fight broke out at the fairgrounds, west of West Palm Beach, shortly after midnight Sunday, sparking the shooting that injured a girl and a boy, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said.

The victims were taken to the hospital with injuries that are not life threatening. The girl has since been released from the hospital, but the boy was still being treated for several gunshot wounds Monday evening at St. Mary's Medical Center, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said.

Authorities have released few details about the suspected shooter or why he pulled out a gun. Deputies locked down the sprawling fairgrounds on Southern Boulevard, keeping thousands of people from leaving the fair for up to an hour. During that time, deputies hunted the shooter, whom they described only as a man dressed in black.

The fairgrounds was packed when the fight erupted near Gate 2, on the northeast side of the fair. Online news readers commented about people "screaming in terror" as they ran from the scene.

UPDATE (2/5/12): An arrest has been made. From a follow-up article:

A Palm Beach Gardens High School senior was arrested Wednesday for the Saturday shooting of two people at the South Florida Fair.

Because he is a juvenile, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office identified him only as a 17-year-old black male from Riviera Beach.

The boy, who was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach, told detectives that "Rone" shot him with a .22 caliber handgun, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The victim said he was walking to the exit with friends when his girlfriend pulled his shirt and told him to "watch out." He turned around and saw "Rone" shooting at him.

Another male then handed him a gun to return fire.

The victim, who said he has known "Rone" since elementary school, described the Riviera Beach teen as a member of the Monroe Heights Posse Gang, the affidavit said.

A witness told detectives two groups of people were fighting when a male, dressed in black, removed a gun from his pocket. He began shooting at one of the victims who then shot back at him, the affidavit said.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

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