Crime

13-year-old boy sentenced for shooting at deputies

By CNN

Published March 25, 2022 2:26 PM

By Claire Metz

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida (WESH) -- A now-13-year-old boy accused of shooting at Volusia County sheriff's deputies has entered a plea and been sentenced for the June 2021 incident.

The teen, who WESH is not identifying because he is not charged as an adult, entered a no-contest plea to attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and burglary/criminal mischief charges.

A juvenile court judge sentenced him to a maximum risk commitment program.

Prosecutors say the 13-year-old and now-15-year-old Nicole Jackson, ran away from a children's home, broke into the house and armed themselves before engaging in a shootout with deputies.

"He's a little tiny little boy and he got into a big mess," defense attorney Jeff Deen said.

Deen said his client has struggled with issues much of his young life.

"He wasn't in control of his situation and he can't understand some of the things that we understand," Deen said.

Deen praised the way deputies handled themselves during the exchange of gunfire. The deputies were horrified by the thought of shooting at children.

"When you hear those deputies, just heart-wrenching over what is going to happen and how perfectly they handled it," Deen said.

One of those deputies, Sgt. Don Maxwell, was in the courtroom and told the boy he forgives him, challenged him to be better.

"You have big heart, you have a long life ahead of you and know that I do forgive you, OK? I will say a prayer for you every day," Maxwell said.

"That deputy forgiving him is going to be a huge thing he will remember when he's old enough to understand what just happened," Deen said.

The case against the other accused teen, Nicole Jackson, is still pending. A pre-trial hearing is set for April.

Jackson is charged as an adult and her case is still pending. In September of last year, officials released the letter she wrote to deputies. The full letter can be read here.

The incident made national headlines when it happened, with Sheriff Mike Chitwood's exasperated remarks striking a chord.

"Deputies did everything they could to deescalate, and they almost lost their lives to a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old," Chitwood said. "I don't know what to say. Where have we gone wrong that a 12-year-old and 14-year-old think it's OK to take on law enforcement. What the hell is the department of juvenile justice doing sending them to places that can't handle them?"

Chitwood said the ordeal went on for hours.

According to one report, a deputy said during the shootout, "Lieutenant, I'm all for not killing kids and stuff but I mean if they're shooting at us, we have to put an end to this... If they keep shooting at Maxwell, we need to do something."

Deputies did return 66 rounds. It is unclear how many shots were fired by the children.

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