Apopka police may be stationed at Pop Warner practices after 11-year-old accused of shooting teammates
APOPKA, Fla. - Apopka's Pop Warner league met with parents Wednesday night to talk about what's next after an 11-year-old shot two teammates after a practice Monday.
"Getting the parents together and making sure we kind of silence the noise," said Joe Ferrer after leaving the meeting. "Here’s what the facts are, here’s what’s going on, what we’re going to do moving forward."
Ferrer was at the park when the shot was fired and said his 12-year-old son had left just five minutes before.
"I sat up with him that night and first and foremost I talked to him about when things are happening, you can tend to see something brewing, and I said you have to be aware to know something isn’t right to be able to run away from danger," Ferrer said.
The 11-year-old police said fired the shot injuring two teammates was in court for the first time Wednesday.
He's being held in juvenile detention.
According to a police report, witnesses said the boy was being bullied before he pulled the gun.
Apopka's mayor says they will start having police at games.
He says the teams will also address bullying, hoping to stop kids from fighting.
"If you stop the bullying, you’ll never get to gun violence," said Mayor Bryan Nelson.
Some parents are hoping practice will start up again this week.
Joe Ferrer told FOX 35 extra police presence at the park could help, but doesn't think they should go overboard.
"If you have that presence throughout the park, I think where if something happens it could be kind of a quicker response," Ferrer said. "I think that’s great, but do I want a cop sitting there on the 50-yard line watching these kids because of this? No, I don’t think you’re solving anything."
Mayor Nelson told FOX 35 he doesn't know if the city will consider changing any rules on having guns in the park.