18-year-old gives gun to 16-year-old – who opens fire on interstate, Florida cops say

An 18-year-old is accused of giving a gun to a 16-year-old and letting him use it to shoot at another vehicle on an interstate, Florida court documents say.

The 18-year-old was driving a Honda Pilot on Interstate 95 in Palm Bay just before 3 p.m. on Dec. 26, when his 16-year-old passenger rolled down the window and shot at another vehicle using a Glock 43X, according to an arrest report from the Florida Highway Patrol. A Glock 43x is a 9mm semiautomatic pistol.

The driver of the second vehicle later told investigators that he saw the Honda Pilot traveling at a high rate of speed and cutting in and out of traffic before beginning to follow his vehicle closely, the report says.

He moved his vehicle to the middle lane and then saw the driver and passenger of the Honda Pilot cover their faces with articles of clothing, the report says. He then heard a loud bang and felt a window shatter behind his seat.

His wife, who was a passenger, was injured by a bullet or debris that grazed across her nose, the report says.

Troopers with Florida Highway Patrol pulled the Honda Pilot over and arrested the 18-year-old driver, the report says. He told troopers that he knew the passenger in his car was a minor and that the gun used in the shooting was the driver’s.

He faces one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the report says. He also faces one count of adult permits person under the age of 16 to possess weapons, the report says. In Florida, minors under the age of 18 are not allowed to own firearms, except under a few exceptions, such as while hunting, according to a Florida law firm, Katz & Phillips, that specializes in firearm law.

He is being held by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office on a $7,000 bond, according to jail records.

Palm Bay is on Florida’s east coast, about 74 miles southeast of Orlando.

This story was originally published December 29, 2022 2:57 PM.