NEW DETAILS: A St. Pete teen was fatally shot on his birthday during a drug deal gone bad, police say.
Maxwell Curtis Muennich, 18, was shot where the house’s driveway meets the road after interacting with a vehicle that drove up to the front of his house at 2121 First St. South about 5:30 p.m., according to St. Petersburg Police Department.
According to arrest affidavit, Muennich was celebrating his birthday when he tried selling someone some marijuana. Police say during the drug transaction, Muennich was shot once in the head by another teen who was trying to steal his drugs.
"All this stuff happened instantaneously," said Dr. Dean Wilson, a neighbor who happened to be sitting on his porch at the time. "Cop cars were everywhere, coming from every direction."
Another neighbor who heard the shot but declined to speak on camera told ABC Action News he ran out of his home when he heard the shot and saw a woman laying on top of Muennich. The woman was reportedly screaming.
Wilson also recalls screaming.
"Screaming, hysterical screaming," he said.
Investigators arrested Christopher Smith, 17, early Thursday morning in connection to the shooting. Smith faces a first-degree murder charge.
Police say Smith used a semi-automatic firearm. Smith shot Muennich while they fought, police say.
Smith refused to speak with investigators and asked for an attorney, according to the affidavit. He will appear in juvenile court Friday morning.
Muennich died at Bayfront Health around 9:30 p.m.
Muennich was a student at Lakewood High School. School district leaders say grief counselors are on campus and all FSA testing has been canceled for the day.
Muennich's family declined to comment to ABC Action News.
