Teen fires flare gun into soccer game, police say
BRADENTON, Fla. - A fiery shot from a flare gun nearly hit players in the middle of a soccer match, and Bradenton police say a 16-year-old admitted to firing the shot.
"You turn around and all of a sudden there's two burning holes in the middle of the turf," said BPD spokesperson Meredith Censullo.
On Nov. 21, as soccer players from St. Stephens Episcopal School defended their home turf, police say a group of young people were asked to leave because they were causing a disruption at the game.
Police say they went across Manatee Ave. to a parked car. One of them stuck a flare gun out of a window and fired it towards the field. 500 feet later, it landed.
"We don't believe that the person that we arrested anticipated that the flare would travel that distance or that it would fall onto the soccer field," said Censullo.
The teen is not a student at the school, and is facing criminal mischief and negligence charges.
The flare burned two holes in the artificial turf. The flare gun was apparently something one of them found.
"The teen who fired the flare gun has learned a lesson," said Censullo, "and does feel remorse for this situation."
The police are just thankful ambulances weren't needed that day, and are insisting that young people think about their actions, lest they hurt themselves or others.
Teen arrested after firing flare gun at St. Stephens Episcopal School soccer field.
"Regardless, you have to be charged for those crimes because you could have caused significant damage to another person," said Censullo.
St. Stephens Episcopal School did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
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