HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Three teens and one man are in jail for stealing nearly three dozen guns from a Hernando County business. Authorities said 35 guns were stolen from a Brooksville business in just three short minutes.
"This anonymous tipster basically said, hey, there are some young people in the area of downtown Brooksville. Looks like they may have guns,” said Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis.
The sheriff said on the morning of April 26, deputies located 23-year-old Devonte Smith, a 17-year-old, and two 15-year-olds.
As they were being questioned, deputies received a call that there was a break-in at a business where nearly three dozen guns were stolen. Authorities are not releasing the name of the business. Cameras showed the suspects entering the business the day before the burglary happened.
“The individuals were actually seen in the victim business. Casing that business and figuring out where the gun cases were and which guns were where,” said Nienhuis.
Within a couple of hours, investigators recovered firearms in the woods and inside a vehicle that had backpacks full of guns and ammunition. Investigators said the suspects are gang affiliated. The sheriff believes the tipster may have saved someone's life.
“Very likely that one of these weapons could have been used to not just kill another gang member which we don’t want that to happen but to kill an innocent adult or police officer or what really scares me to death is a young child,” said Nienhuis.
Residents are relieved the guns were taken off the streets as quickly as they were.
“If those guns got in the wrong hands that wouldn't be good at all,” said Austin Legg.
