Teenager Felixander Solis-Guzman faces multiple charges after sheriff’s deputies from Florida’s Volusia County arrested him on Thursday for allegedly drawing a gun during an altercation at a local beach, Local10.com reported.
Deputies say they were alerted to the 16-year-old suspect’s presence after someone in the crowd shouted “he has a gun,” Local10 reported. Solis-Guzman allegedly ran into the Atlantic while carrying a pistol and threw the gun and a bag into the water, the outlet noted. The suspect then got out of the water with his hands raised, according to Local10.
Authorities say they found 20 plastic baggies of marijuana among Solis-Guzman’s possessions and that he has been charged with possession of a firearm by a person under 18, resisting an officer and sale of marijuana, the outlet reported.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office later tweeted a video of the encounter.
SPRING BREAK ARREST: Deputies confronted and arrested an armed 16-year-old on the beach today after he pulled a gun in a crowd of spring breakers, then ran into the ocean. Video: https://t.co/FLV3oBkU2W
— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) March 15, 2024
The video captured the moment when someone in the crowd shouts that someone had a gun and shows a person grasping what appears to be a pistol and aiming it at the crowd. The video also shows the law enforcement response, with one shouting, “All right, motherfucker, drop the fucking gun!” while raising his own weapon. He then repeats the command several times before the suspect begins to run toward the ocean. Other law enforcement officers can be seen swarming the scene and yelling for other people to get back.
Eventually, one of the uniformed officer reports that the suspect has tossed his gun and later notes that the suspect is walking toward the police with his hands raised. The video concludes with two photos: a shot of Solis-Guzman’s weapon and bags of marijuana and his mugshot.
“GREAT JOB @VolusiaSheriff & @NSBPolice. Keep it up and let’s make our presence felt for all of Spring Break. We are NOT going to surrender our community to violence and lawlessness,” Sheriff Mike Chitwood tweeted in response to the incident.
GREAT JOB @VolusiaSheriff & @NSBPolice. Keep it up and let’s make our presence felt for all of Spring Break. We are NOT going to surrender our community to violence and lawlessness https://t.co/x7rAi4UiEm
— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) March 15, 2024
After his arrest, Solis-Guzman was taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice, Local10.com noted.