MIAMI – A 16-year-old high school student in Seminole County, central Florida, accused of shooting and wounding seriously to another high school classmate from the same center, he will be tried as an adult, local media reported this Monday.
Da’raveius Smith, arrested last May and accused, among other charges, of attempted first-degree murder after seriously injuring Jhavon McInyre, aged 18 with a weapon, will be tried in a court for adults and not for minors, collected the WESH 2 News channel.
The shooting occurred last January at Seminole High School, in the town of Sanford, when Smith shot and seriously injured McIntyre, who was admitted with three gunshot wounds (in the wrist and both legs), although, in serious condition, his condition was stable, the Sanford Police said in a statement.
Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith then said in a statement that the shooting was likely the result of a dispute between the two boys over a young woman; but, in the police report, there is no altercation over a girl, rather it was a personal matter between the two students and an alleged “mockery” by the victim towards the aggressor.
“We are grateful that there was no loss of life” in the shooting, added the police chief.
The assailant, who was arrested “without incident” shortly after the shooting, used a 9mm pistol which he later threw in some bushes outside the school, but was located by police officers, Orlando’s WESH 2 channel said.
According to the police report, Smith said that McIntyre had been threatening in relation to alleged comments about one of McIntyre’s deceased relatives in an act of violence with weapons.
Smith added that the victim confronted him in the bathroom and made fun of him and that this led him to wait for McIntyre outside, where he shot him several times while the victim fled and several bullets hit him. They jumped, although no injuries were fatal.