(OAK HILL, Fla.) — Two 12-year-old boys have been placed under arrest after they were found allegedly playing with and shooting a loaded gun in public.
The incident occurred on Monday morning when deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of two young boys playing with a loaded gun on a vacant lot in Oak Hill, about 55 miles northeast of Orlando, Florida, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
“The reporting parties indicated they heard a gunshot and went to check to see if anyone was injured,” Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement posted to social media. “One of the boys then pointed the gun at their car, which was occupied by 2 adults and 3 children.”
“There are two little kids,” said the unnamed woman who reported the incident to authorities and can be heard on the body camera footage released by police. “As we were driving past their property, the little kids were standing out in the field, it appeared that he had a handgun and he was pointing it at our car as we were driving by.”
The responding sheriff’s sergeant heard and witnessed additional gunshots as she approached and ordered the boys out with their hands up.
“It was a real gun. We were shooting it over here,” one of the boys can be heard saying as they approached the responding officer. “Someone said we were allowed to.”
“How old are you?” asked the police officer.
“We are … we are both 12,” said one of the boys as they kept their arms raised in the air.
The boys were subsequently taken into custody without further incident and they were both charged with discharging a firearm and possession of a firearm by a person under 16. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office also confirmed that the boy who pointed the gun at the witnesses who reported the incident was also charged with aggravated assault with a firearm.
The two 12-year-olds have since been transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice and taken in for secure detention, according to authorities.
It is unclear how they procured the handgun or to who it belonged to, but both the gun and the ammunition were recovered from the scene of the crime and the case remains under investigation.
ABC News reached out but were unable to immediately determine the status of the youths and when they are expected to appear in court.
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