FRUITLAND PARK, Florida—A teenager is facing a slew of charges in connection with a shooting that occurred in a busy apartment complex Thursday.
Sincere D. Chambliss, 17, of Eustis, is accused of shooting a 22-year-old man and his 48-year-old father during an altercation about the younger man’s girlfriend at Spring Lake Cove Apartments in Fruitland Park around 5 p.m. The 22-year-old man was shot in the leg and was airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center, and his father was grazed in the chest; both men were treated for their injuries and released from the hospital.
The 22-year-old victim told police Chambliss had been making sexual advances toward his girlfriend and he messaged Chambliss and told him to stop, but Chambliss continued and made statements about fighting the victim, according to an arrest affidavit.
Later, the victim went to his vehicle and Chambliss was outside and began provoking him and the victim approached Chambliss, who he did not know was armed, and Chambliss allegedly shot him, striking him in the left thigh. The victim’s father approached, and Chambliss allegedly fired a second shot, grazing the 48-year-old man in the chest.
Chambliss and another man fled into a nearby apartment and when Fruitland Park Police Department arrived, they commanded the pair to exit the apartment. A 20-year-old man did exit the apartment; Inside Lake is not naming him because he was not charged with a crime. Chambliss refused to exit and began barricading himself in the apartment, but finally surrendered and was taken into custody. Police secured a search warrant for the residence and found a stolen Smith & Wesson M&P 45.
Chambliss gave police a false name but was later positively identified and arrested for two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a minor, discharging a firearm on residential property, giving a false name to a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence.
He was also wanted by Leesburg Police Department on multiple warrants for carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a weapon by a minor, giving a false name to a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer without violence, stemming from an incident in July. He was turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
