18-year-old who sold gun used in 'accidental' Port Orange shooting of 13-year-old turns himself in: police
PORT ORANGE, Fla. - A teenager accused of selling firearms to two minors involved in an accidental shooting last month inside a Port Orange home surrendered to authorities on Thursday morning, according to the Port Orange Police Department.
Skylar Snyder, 18, is alleged to have sold a gun used in the shooting of Nathaniel Green, 13, who now appears to be paralyzed from the shooting, according to his family.
Snyder is currently being held at the Volusia County Branch Jail without bond, facing multiple charges, including two counts of selling firearms to minors, one count of dealing in stolen property, armed burglary, and grand theft of a firearm.
Skylar Snyder (Photo: Volusia County Jail)
The shooting happened on July 27, shortly before 2 a.m., inside the home on Creekwater Blvd. Officers responded to reports of a shooting and found Green critically injured.
Two days after the incident, police provided an update, labeling the shooting as "accidental" between two juveniles. Authorities noted that the firearm involved did not belong to the parents of either youth.
The investigation led police to Snyder, who was believed to have sold the firearms to the minors involved.
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The Port Orange Police Department released investigative documents on Thursday, offering new details on the case.
According to an affidavit, a responding officer was flagged down upon arrival at the scene and directed to a bedroom, where the injured teen was found lying on the floor. According to the police report, Green had suffered a gunshot wound in the middle of his throat. The officer provided first aid until Port Orange Fire Rescue arrived.
RELATED: Teen injured in accidental shooting remains in critical condition, family says
Two firearms — a Glock 19, 9mm, and a Springfield XD, 9mm — were found in plain view, the officer noted. One was located on the garage floor near an interior door and the other outside the residence near the front entrance. Both weapons contained hollow-point ammunition.
Photo: Port Orange Police Department
Before the shooting, Green and his friend had reportedly been smoking marijuana in the bedroom while taking photos of themselves posing with the firearms, according to the police report. The report read that they began disassembling the guns at some point, trying to see who could do it faster. Green's friend was holding the Springfield XD when it discharged, police said.
Green was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and placed in a medically induced coma due to damage to his esophagus and spinal cord.
Nathaniel Green
A metal fragment was removed from the victim's body for examination. Detectives also conducted a digital forensics analysis on two cell phones obtained during the investigation, uncovering text messages they say implicated Snyder.
Authorities later discovered that the Glock had been reported stolen by the Rockledge Police Department in November 2023 during a vehicle burglary.
Police recovered four additional firearms from other juveniles during the investigation, unrelated to the Creekwater Blvd. shooting. Three of those firearms were also reported as stolen.