14-year-old accused of armed carjacking at Ocala gas station 'did not appear to have remorse,' deputies say
OCALA, Fla. - A 14-year-old boy was arrested over the weekend for allegedly committing an armed carjacking at a gas station in Ocala, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
The teen, who FOX 35 is choosing not to name due to his age, is facing several criminal charges after the incident that unfolded on Saturday night:
- Carjacking with a firearm
- Possession of a firearm by a person younger than 18
- Improper exhibition of a firearm
Just after 10:30 p.m., a deputy with the Marion County Sheriff's Office was flagged down by the victim of the carjacking at Circle K on NE Jacksonville Road. He said the teenager "emerged from behind a gas pump, pointed a handgun at his chest, and demanded that he hand over the keys," deputies said.
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"Give me your keys [expletive]!" the teen told the man, according to an arrest affidavit.
That's when the 14-year-old allegedly stole the man's blue 2002 Chevy Tahoe and drove off on Highway 326 after the man threw his keys into the driver's seat.
Deputies found the stolen SUV about 10 minutes later in the 5400 block of SE 28th Lane. During a traffic stop, the 14-year-old was taken into custody.
"The amazing thing is that this 14-year-old was not harmed himself. He was not shot by a citizen who was not ready to be carjacked," said Lt. Paul Bloom of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
"There is a gun in the car too," the teen is heard saying on bodycam footage from the sheriff's office. The gun, a 9mm Kahr Arms CW9, matched the description the carjacking victim gave to deputies. It was in the cupholder.
The teen was arrested and transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
A 14-year-old was arrested in connection to an armed carjacking over the weekend. (Photo: Marion County Sheriff's Office)
"During an interview, [the teenager] admitted to the carjacking, smiled frequently, and did not appear to have remorse for his actions," deputies said, adding that "he didn't know" what caused him to decide to commit the armed carjacking.
Deputies also spoke with the boy's mom, who said she reported her son missing earlier that evening after she took his phone away for "disciplinary reasons," the affidavit said. The mom added that this caused the teen to "destroy her house and throw tables."
"We want to step in before this child is the next school shooter before they’re the next person to carjack someone at 10:30 at night at a gas station. We want to try to find that," Lt. Bloom added. "Are we 100% successful? Never will be. The effort has to be made. If we’re not making that effort, then we’re failing these children."
Deputies also learned that the teen was recently adjudicated delinquent for the following charges, which resulted in felony probation:
- Grand theft of a motor vehicle
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
- Felony criminal mischief
- Disrupting school functions