Florida drive-by shooting blinds juvenile; 2 teens arrested, police say

2 teens accused of drive-by shooting that left another blind

Two teens have been arrested following a Florida drive-by shooting that left a juvenile blind, police say. One of the two teens is 19-year-old Tai’shan Capell. FOX 35 is choosing not to identify or show a picture of the second teen, a 17-year-old, as he is a minor. Both of the teens are facing multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder with a firearm.

PALM BAY, Fla. - Two teens have been arrested following a Florida drive-by shooting that left a juvenile blind, police say.

One of the two teens is 19-year-old Tai’shan Capell. FOX 35 is choosing not to identify or show a picture of the second teen, a 17-year-old, as he is a minor.

Probable cause affidavits from the City of Palm Bay Police Department show both teens face multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder with a firearm. Capell is being held in the Brevard County Jail.

Tai’shan Capell, 19, is one of the two teens arrested in the drive-by shooting investigation. (Credit: Brevard County Sheriff's Office)

Drive-by shooting leaves juvenile blind

What we know:

On Feb. 28, police said they responded to references of a shooting in the area near the Bayside Lakes Clubhouse along Bramblewood Circle. Reports show there was a large group of juveniles from high school meeting up there to fight.

Officials said a Hyundai sedan carrying two juveniles pulled into a parking lot where a large group was gathered next to the car. A white Toyota SUV, carrying the 17-year-old and Capell as passengers, passed the parking lot's entrance before then turning around and slowly rolling back by, authorities said. Reports show that during this time two gunshots were heard, and the SUV sped off.

Records show a projectile hit the red sedan when the shots were fired, and it struck the front driver's seat window, shattering the glass. Police said the glass flew and hit the face and eyes of one of the juveniles in the car. A 7-year-old and a 13-year-old were seated in a car parked just one space away from the sedan that was hit, authorities said.

Officials said the juvenile's friends assisted him into another car that then took him to the hospital. The victim received significant damage to his eyes, causing the hospital to trauma alert him to Miami for immediate surgery, authorities said.

Police said they were able to catch the SUV's license plate on surveillance video and made contact with the driver, another juvenile, who told them he had been involved in several fights with the victim leading up to the shooting.

The official arrest affidavit states that the victim and his friends had allegedly jumped the SUV’s driver two days before, and they then all "mutually agreed to meet at the Bayside Clubhouse to fight once again."