VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 16-year-old was arrested after deputies say he pulled out a gun in a crowd of spring breakers on the beach and then ran into the ocean Thursday afternoon.
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said deputies were patrolling Smyrna Beach near Flagler Avenue when the crowd began to disperse, and people started shouting, "He has a gun!"
Deputies ran toward the scene and saw the teenager from Lakeland holding the gun. VCSO said deputies pulled out their guns and started to approach the suspect while ordering him to drop his gun.
Instead, the suspect allegedly ran off with the gun through the crowds of people before heading into the ocean, throwing it in the water along with the bag he was carrying. He then complied with commands and surrendered to deputies around 3:50 p.m.
No one was injured during the incident.
Deputies took the suspect into custody and retrieved the gun and bag from the water. They said the bag had 20 small plastic baggies of marijuana.
The suspect faces a number of charges, including three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a person under 18 and improper exhibition of a firearm.
He was also arrested on seven active no-bond warrants out of Orange County. The suspect was taken to the Volusia Family Resource Center before he was transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
