VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 14-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy are now facing attempted first-degree murder of law enforcement officers and armed burglary charges after they got into a shootout with Volusia deputies Tuesday night, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff Mike Chitwood said the children, Nicole Jackson and Travis O’Brien, broke into a house after running away from the Florida United Methodist Children’s home.
In the home, they armed themselves with the homeowners AK-47, a pump shot gun and a pistol. They had 200 rounds of ammo at the ready.
Deputies tried for more than a half hour to calm things down.
PHOTOS: Girl, 14, injured in shootout with deputies
Jackson was shot three times and rushed to a hospital. O’Brien eventually surrendered.
O’Brienmade his first appearance on Thursday morning. The judge said O’Brien will spend 21 days at a secure detention center. His arraignment date is June 23.
12yo Travis O’Brien’s first court appearance is happening now on a #zoom call. He and 14yo Nicole Jackson are each facing att murder of a law enforcement officer and armed burglary. They’re the kids accused of breaking into a home and starting a gunfight with Volusia deputies. pic.twitter.com/HtQD4vsgNd
— Q McCray (@QMcCrayWFTV) June 3, 2021
READ: Timeline: Sheriff gives minute-by-minute details of shootout between children, deputies
Channel 9 received a statement from the Florida United Methodist Children’s home, which said in part that “this is a result of the system failing our kids.” It also stated that it is placing a moratorium on its emergency shelter program for 30 days.
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