2 minors arrested, Weeki Wachee teen in critical condition after stabbing: Deputies
WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. - A teenage boy is in critical condition after fighting two other boys at Sturbridge Court in Weeki Wachee on Monday night.
Both of the boys involved in the fight were arrested and one suspect is accused of stabbing the victim and a girl who tried to break up the fight, according to officials.
Deputies from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office and Hernando County Fire Rescue headed to the subdivision just after 5 p.m. on Monday and found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds, according to authorities.
Deputies say the victim was treated by first responders and taken to a local trauma center for more care. Officials say they were told that the two boys who were fighting with the victim took off into a wooded area.
According to the sheriff's office, patrol deputies used K-9 teams and drones to look for the suspects. Officials say they were both found and arrested before 6 p.m.
Major case detectives began an investigation they say revealed that all parties involved knew each other and attended Weeki Wachee High School. However, the suspect accused of comitting the stabbings attends Endeavor Academy.
Investigators say one or more of the individuals were friends. But, the friendships deteriorated over time, causing "issues" between the parties.
Because of the issues and threatening statements made by "suspect No. 1," the victim and suspect planned to meet at the location on Sturbridge Court to fight, according to detectives.
Deputies say the victim and his four friends car-pooled and suspect No. 1 and another teenage boy walked to the location.
The victim got out of the car while his four friends stayed inside, according to authorities. Detectives say at this point, the victim and suspect No. 1 began physically fighting.
Within a very short time, the sheriff's office says the teenage boy who arrived with suspect No. 1 also started fighting the victim by attacking him from behind and stabbing him multiple times.
According to investigators, after being stabbed, the victim fell to the ground and suspect No. 1 jumped on top of him and continued to physically batter him.
The four friends who arrived with the victim got out of the car and tried to stop the fight, but suspect No. 1 started to direct his aggression toward them, according to detectives. At the same time, deputies say the boy who stabbed the victim, approached one of the female friends while still holding the knife and stated, "Don't make me stab you."
The boy started to stab/slash at the female victim's thigh, according to officials.
READ: Florida woman arrested after baby dies from fentanyl mixture
The female victim recorded the initial fight and stabbing with her cellphone, before she ended the recording, so she could try to break up the fight, according to officials. Hernando deputies say the video recording corroborated witness statements.
Detectives interviewed the two teen suspects accused of fighting. After being read his rights, the boy who stabbed the victim told detectives he was afraid because of five people being there during the fight. He claimed he stabbed the victim in order to defend himself.
Suspect No. 1 had a similar story but denied having any knowledge of the stabbing, according to investigators. The pair also told detectives they were "ambushed" by the five individuals and had no knowledge of the pre-arranged fight.
However, suspect No. 1, admitted to the fight being pre-arranged later, but continued to deny knowledge of the stabbing, according to officials.
Deputies say the boy accused of stabbing the victim changed his statement later and admitted that suspect No. 1 asked him to come to the pre-arranged fight. When he thought suspect No. 1 was losing the fight, he told officials he stepped in and began stabbing the victim.
READ: 11-year-old boy arrested for threatening shooting at Pinellas Park Middle School: Deputies
Video evidence disputed his claim and he refused to tell detectives where he put the knife used in the stabbing, according to the sheriff's office.
Detectives say all parents/caregivers of the minors involved in the incident were cooperative with the investigation.
According to deputies, detectives executed a search warrant on the accused stabber's home. Officials say they found a cellphone and a knife but do not know if the knife was the one used in the stabbing.
The sheriff's office says both items were collected and submitted as evidence.
Suspect No. 1 was arrested and charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery and released to his parents.
The other suspect was arrested and charged with aggravated battery/cause harm or disability and aggravated assault w/deadly weapon. He was incarcerated at the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477) or **TIPS from a cell phone.
