Police: 1 Dead After Teens in Body Armor Shoot Each Other

Police: 1 Dead After Teens in Body Armor Shoot Each Other
Police cars in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sept. 9, 2017. (Brian Blanco/Getty Images)
The Associated Press
4/11/2022
Updated:
4/11/2022

BELLEVIEW, Fla.—A Florida teen was fatally wounded while he and a friend took turns wearing body armor and shooting each other, police said.

Christopher Leroy Broad, 15, died the evening of April 3 after being rushed to a hospital, according to police in Belleview, a community about 60 miles (95 kilometers) northwest of Orlando.

Following the teen’s death, investigators determined that Broad and a 17-year-old had been taking turns shooting at each other while wearing a vest which contained a form of body armor, a police news release said. The 17-year-old shot at Broad while he was wearing the vest, and Broad was hit, officials said.

The 17-year-old was arrested Thursday and he has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm.

Police didn’t say what kind of gun was being used or who owned it.

A 16-year-old boy who witnessed the shooting initially lied to police about what had happened, according to authorities. They said the boy has been charged with providing false information to law enforcement.

Both teens have been charged as adults.