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16-year-old arrested for attempted murder after drug deal 'gone wrong': MCSO

Manatee County Sheriff's Office car
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PARRISH, Fla. — Deputies arrested a teenage boy after they said a drug deal "gone wrong" escalated into a shooting on Sunday.

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office said a 17-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl drove to a pool in the Summerwoods subdivision in Parrish around 1:30 p.m. for a narcotics transaction. While in their vehicle, they were approached by 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl.

According to deputies, while the 17-year-old boy was in the driver's seat, the suspect shot him in the left arm. The suspects fled on foot while the victim and the 16-year-old girl drove away, flagging down a deputy for help.

The victim was airlifted to a Tampa hospital in critical condition.

While investigating, deputies used a K9 unit to track down the suspects. Multiple residents in the Summerwoods area called MCSO to report two teenagers running through the neighborhood.

Deputies said one resident told them that a suspect fitting the description was in the wooded area behind their house and was seen throwing a backpack into the woods. The backpack was retrieved, along with a handgun and clothing that matched the suspects' outfits.

The K9 unit tracked the suspects to a nearby home, where they found the back sliding glass door open. The suspect was located with the 15-year-old girl. Deputies said they both matched the descriptions of the suspects.

They then surrendered to deputies and were taken into custody. The suspect was charged with attempted murder and was taken to the Manatee Juvenile Booking Facility.

The victim underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery. This is still an ongoing investigation.


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