WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — A 16-year-old is facing multiple felony charges after reportedly pointing a BB gun at another motorist during a road rage incident in Walton County, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO).
WCSO said deputies responded just after 4 p.m. Monday to a shopping plaza near Scenic Gulf Drive and U.S. Highway 98 West after a victim reported that the driver of a green BMW had displayed what appeared to be a handgun.
Deputies located the vehicle soon after and conducted what the WCSO described as a safe felony stop. The teenage driver was detained without incident. A seven-year-old child was also in the back seat of the suspect’s vehicle.
According to the WCSO, deputies recovered a black BB gun from underneath the driver’s seat. The victim, who had a teenage daughter in the vehicle with him, provided a sworn statement and reportedly said he was in fear for their safety.
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The 16-year-old was transported to the Walton County Jail and later to the Department of Juvenile Justice for screening. The BB gun was collected as evidence. The teen is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawfully carrying a firearm under the age of 18.
In its announcement, the WCSO noted that it will not publish the suspect’s name or mugshot, stating that while juvenile names and mugshots are public record for felony charges, the agency has consistently chosen not to release them in similar cases involving BB guns or Orbeez-type weapons.
The agency urged drivers who feel threatened or witness dangerous road behavior to separate themselves from the other vehicle when possible and call 911 immediately.
“There is already so much hate, ugliness, impatience, and violence in the world,” the WCSO said. “Please, remember to take a deep breath and realize moments of frustration pass, and typically they are not worth ruining your life or someone else’s life over.”
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