What started as a prank among juveniles involving a toy gun led to the arrest of a man who threatened them with a real firearm in Port St. Lucie, police said.
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Police received a 911 call on Thursday night from a man who was a passenger in a car when he and his fianceé “heard something hitting their vehicle,” according to an arrest report.
He told authorities that he believed they were being shot at with a BB or pellet gun from a moving vehicle near the intersection of Southwest Morelia Lane and Southwest Acapulco Terrace.
Authorities said they immediately deployed a drone to gather real-time intelligence and that officers arrived moments later. But Davis went after the vehicle “while remaining on the phone with 911.”
Police later determined that the “shooter” was a 15-year-old who had “intentionally fired a blue, white, and yellow in color Piranha Orbeez toy gun” because he thought the person in the other car was a friend.
Investigators said Davis “had multiple opportunities to safely disengage while officers were actively responding,” but instead, he got out of his car armed with a loaded 9mm handgun and ordered the three juveniles out of their vehicle at gunpoint.
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When police arrived, they found the juveniles laying on the ground while Davis stood nearby, the arrest report states.
No one was injured in the incident.
Davis was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and false imprisonment of a child to commit aggravated abuse.
The 15-year-old was also arrested and charged with shooting or throwing a missile at or into an occupied vehicle.
In a statement, police reminded the public against pranks involving toy guns, because “they can create fear, provoke dangerous reactions, and result in criminal charges.”
“If you believe you are the victim of a crime, call 911 immediately. Be a good witness, provide responding officers with information, and allow law enforcement to safely handle the situation. Pursuing suspects or confronting them with a firearm can escalate an already dangerous situation and may result in criminal charges,” police said.
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