UMATILLA, Fla.— A dispute between teenagers that began over social media erupted into a chase and eventual arrest Thursday after one teen admitted a gun found in a truck was his, according to an arrest affidavit.
Law enforcement received information that a large fight was going to occur between Umatilla teens and Apopka teens over a social media dispute. A video showed a teen brandishing a black pistol with an extended magazine from inside what appeared to be a Dodge Ram, according to the affidavit.
Umatilla High School Principal Brent Frazier sent out a voice message to parents and guardians at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in reference to the video. In the call, Frazier said a student came forward with the video and it showed a male holding a gun, “no threat accompanied the video” and extra law enforcement officers would be on the UHS campus Friday. (Listen to full message below.)
After UHS dismissal Thursday, law enforcement began working to prevent the fight between the two groups of teens and they learned a group of Apopka juveniles was chasing a Umatilla juvenile to start a fight. The chase went outside the city limits and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of Umatilla Police Department, the affidavit states.
A black Dodge Ram was identified as the vehicle chasing the Umatilla teen and UPD performed a traffic stop on Twin Ponds Road east of Skyline Drive, just outside of the city limits around 7:30 p.m. All of the occupants were removed from the truck and upon searching the truck, a black Taurus pistol “matching the likeness of the pistol viewed in the social media posts,” was found in the pocket of the passenger side door.
A 16-year-old male, of Apopka, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the Ram, first denied ownership of the gun, but later admitted it after he was positively identified as the subject in the social media video. He said his friend asked him to bring the gun to the fight in case the Umatilla juveniles brought guns, according to the affidavit.
He was arrested for possession of a firearm and turned over to the Department of Juvenile Justice; his name is not being released because the charge is a misdemeanor.
