One dead, two arrested, after teens took turns shooting at each other while wearing body armor

(Joshua Vining & Colton Whitler, Image credits: BPD) One Florida boy is dead and two others are now in custody after authorities announced that the teens took turns firing guns at each other while they were wearing body armor.  A neighbor described the scene.

“I saw a teenage boy come outside all hysterical screaming,” said Joe Vanhouten.  Vanhouten is an Army veteran who lives next door. He saw the immediate aftermath of the shooting.  “I was always taught from a young age you never play with guns,” he said.  ~ WESH

On Sunday, April 3 at approximately 7:08 p.m., the Belleview Police Department (BPD) headquartered in Belleview, Florida, received a call for service in reference to a shooting. Officers arrived at a residence in the 10400 block of SE 52nd Court, where they located the victim, 16-year-old Christopher Leroy Broad Jr., who had been shot inside of the residence.

The young man was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. 

Over the last several days, BPD lead detective Sergeant Michael Miley investigated this case, and discovered evidence to prove that Vining shot and killed Broad. Through the investigation, it was determined that Vining and Broad were taking turns shooting at each other while wearing a vest which contained a form of body armor.

Vining shot at Broad while he was wearing the vest and he was struck. Police said that one of the shots fired by Vining hit Broad in an area not covered by his protective armor vest.

Whitler, who was initially interviewed as a witness to the shooting, misled officials with inaccurate information about what took place and who shot Broad.

Joshua Vining, 17, and Colton Whitler, 17, were arrested on Thursday. Vining is facing an aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm charge. Police say Whitler was arrested on a charge of providing false information to Law Enforcement. ~ Fox 35 Orlando

Whitler’s charge is the result of the teen lying to police about who shot Christopher Broad.  His initial statements to police blamed the shooting, “on other people like the other friends at the home and telling the 911 dispatcher that the house was shot by unknown suspects,” according to WESH

Vining and Whitler are both being charged as adults.  For more on thus tragic story, see the video accompanying this article.

(Source: Belleview Police Department)

~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter