Teens In Custody; Weapon Believed To Be In Field Near Elementary School

Two teens are in custody after shots were allegedly fired in Woodland Park early Saturday morning.

The Stanton County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to contact them immediately if anyone located a 9mm pistol in the area. Sheriff Mike Unger said the handgun allegedly used in the incident has not been located and is believed to have been discarded by the shooter in a field southwest of the elementary school.

Unger said at about 2:13 a.m. on Saturday morning the Stanton County Sheriff’s office responded to a shots fired call in the residential area just east of the Woodland Park elementary school. Multiple 911 calls reported four to six gunshots and at least one male running from the area.

Within six minutes of the initial call, the first arriving deputy observed a male and female walking near the school and he observed clearly the male had a handgun sticking out of his pants pocket. The male and female were detained at gunpoint until additional units arrived. That handgun turned out to be a very real and authentic looking toy/prop pistol.

Later the 14-year-old male who was detained was going to be placed in a patrol unit as he was on probation and when he ran off on foot and refused to obey commands to stop after being advised he was under arrest. During this time, it was determined that a third person had also been present and most likely fired the shots that were reported.

The 13-year-old female from Norfolk was found to also be on diversion and initially refused to identify the other male involved. The offender that had run from law enforcement was finally located and taken into custody near his Woodland Park residence. Another juvenile male was observed at the residence at that time and refused to cooperate or give his name.

The 14-year-old shooter from Norfolk was ultimately identified, and it turned out to be the youth that had refused to cooperate when asked to identify himself. He was again confronted by members of the Sheriff’s office and advised that he was under arrest at which time he physically began to resist efforts to secure him in handcuffs and had to be physically subdued. The handgun used in the shooting was not located at that time and he refused to talk to authorities. Unger said 9mm ammunition was later found concealed in his crotch area during a search.

“Both juvenile males were referred to probation officers for their probation violations and new charges and the probation office initially declined to detain either male, however they did ultimately authorize the detention of both 14-year-old males at the Madison JDC after prodding from the Sheriff’s office,” according to the press release. “Both males are on probation for a laundry list of offenses including assault.”

Unger said the juvenile female was cited and released to her mother. As of 8:45 a.m., Saturday morning the handgun was not located and is believed it was discarded by the shooter in a field southwest of the elementary school. The Norfolk Police Division K-9 assisted in a ground search for the firearm and if anyone would locate a 9mm pistol please contact the Sheriff’s office immediately.
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“This is an example of our broken system, when criminal violators on probation cannot be automatically detained and placed in a secured facility, sometimes young people have to be held accountable for their criminal actions and locked up,” Unger said. “Especially in cases were guns, knives, unlawful or violent acts are undertaken by anyone.”