APOPKA, Fla. — An 11-year-old boy accused of shooting two other boys during an argument over a bag of chips after a football practice in Apopka on Monday evening faced a judge Wednesday morning.
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The judge ordered that the boy must stay in the Juvenile Detention Center for 21 days despite his attorney’s strong objections.
“All he’s saying is, ‘I want to go home,’” attorney Robert Mandell said. “There has to be a better way to address situations like this than keeping an 11-year-old in jail, in a padded room, who’s on suicide watch, who hasn’t spent a night away from his mother in his whole life.”
Monday’s shooting was recorded by a surveillance camera.
The video shows the boy being chased by his teammates as he runs to his mother’s car to grab her gun from an unlocked gun box.
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Police say he then ran after his teammate who was walking away and shot him.
Investigators said the bullet pierced that boy and also hit another boy in his elbow.
An aunt of one of the victims spoke on her family’s behalf during Wednesday’s hearing.
“He would do it again,” she said. “He did not care about anyone --including (himself), because the gun could have went off and also hurt him.”
But Mandell argued that his client is too young to understand the gravity of his behavior and to be kept in custody for that long.
He suggested to the judge that the boy ought to be allowed to live with his grandparents for the time being.
Mandell also said the boy’s status as a bullying victim should be considered.
After almost a half hour of debate, the judge disagreed.
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The boy, who is charged with attempted murder, sobbed in court as the judge announced his decision.
His mother covered her face as she left the court room.
Both victims are expected to fully recover.
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