Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies charged two 14-year-old boys with felonies for allegedly firing a BB gun at a full school bus and other vehicles on Belle Terre Boulevard in Palm Coast’s Z-Section Wednesday afternoon.
The bus was transporting 40 students home from Bunnell Elementary. No one was injured. The bus driver, Simon Sam, immediately pulled the bus over and contacted the transportation department, which contacted the sheriff’s office. “We made phone calls to all the parents yesterday afternoon,” a school district spokesman said. “Nobody was hurt. What I understand is that it was a ping on the side of the bus.”
The boys, Marcus Freeman and Ryan Korth, are residents of Ziegler Place and Zinc Place.
Korth, according to his arrest report, was initially “deceptive and uncooperative,” but then told deputies that he and two other boys grabbed two airsoft guns and a BB gun from his home, walked down a trail near his home to Belle Terre Boulevard, and all three “began shooting numerous vehicles until the bus pulled over.”
They then ran through the woods and went to Korth’s home “because he did not want to go to jail,” the arrest report states. The bus driver told authorities that he’d seen “two white males, one wearing a hoodie and the other a red t-shirt, running down a path through the woods.”
A neighbor captured two boys running through woods onto a front lawn, and at one point throwing what looks like a rifle into the bushes. Deputies retrieved a BB gun rifle in the woods near 15 Zinc Place. A school bus aide was able to positively identify one of the boys as the person she saw in the woods, and the school bus driver identified the other.
When a deputy went to a house on Ziegler Place, he discovered the side door windows shattered. A male responded at the door, said he was home with his brother and sister, one of whom turned out to be Korth, who was wearing a red t-shirt.
Freeman denied involvement in the actual shooting of the guns, saying he witnessed Korth shoot at the school bus. (The third individual who was with the two other boys said he held an air soft gun and pointed it at the school bus but never fired it.)
Authorities conducted a 30-minute inspection of the school bus, then allowed the driver to resume his route. The students involved in the incident, if found guilty, are likely to face suspension or expulsion from school, though such disciplinary details are not usually made public.
The following video was released by the sheriff’s office:
Old Man Parker says
Anyone remember this movie “A Christmas Story” In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie attempts to convince his parents, his teacher, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.
I guess those days are over.
PeachesMcGee says
@OMP – It’s all about being responsible. These young men obviously didn’t think their actions through. Hopefully they’ll learn their lessons and become responsible adults after being sanctioned in the juvenile justice system. If not, then may God have mercy on their souls. Luckily, nobody was injured.
Anonymous says
The parents should be made to pay for all damages. Money talks. Perhaps a little pain in their wallets will make them take this incident seriously and perhaps supervise their little angels a little better.
Richard Smith says
Great – now we have drive-by shootings happening in Palm Coast. BB guns now AK-47’s later. Nice place to live and raise a family.
Nancy N. says
Uhh, Richard Smth, you haven’t been reading your Flagler Live lately or you’d know that we are already having drive-bys of the non-BB gun variety fairly regularly.
Longman says
BB guns to AK’s….That’s quite a leap Dick Smith
Anonymous says
If this County had something for them to do this would never of happened. I threw rocks at cars when I was 7. Instead of a felony charge I got a good butt whooping!
Mark101 says
Wow they are starting young in Palm Coast. The parents should be held responsible as it always begins at home.
Anonymous says
The dumb things kids do. yes have the police see what happened BUT to charge two 14-year-old boys with felonies over this?? Hopefully the charges will be reduced or dropped.
Iron says
@anonymous– So because you feel the county is not providing “entertainment ” they have the right to do things like this? Did you throw rock when you were 7 because there was nothing else to do?
Sherry says
While “felony” charges seem quite severe, because no one was hurt . . . . what IF one of the bullets had struck the windshield or another part of the bus which then resulted in a tragic accident? There needs to be very “serious” lessons learned by ALL involved!!! Maybe some “substantial” community service would keep them from being “bored”!!!
Born and Raised Here says
In this day and age, I am surprised this juvenile did not realized he was being videotaped. I hope he was not instructed to falsify his involvement by his lawyer or parents. I am surprised they don’t teach constitutional law in School, anymore. Fortunately he will now see how our legal system works. Perhaps this will be a wake up call for him and put him on the path to becoming a productive citizen, and we save another kid.
Lazaruis says
To the kids it seemed to be a prank. To the bus driver it seemed a hazardous situation. To the cops it was a felony.
No one was hurt and nothing was broken I don’t think felony charges are called for here .
Ralph Belcher says
A neighbor entered Belle Terre Boulevard, headed north, at the same time period, and sure enough, got a good sized BB ding, removing the paint from his driver side rear door. Perhaps the kids parents will provide that motorist some remuneration?
TIRED OF EXCUSES says
You know when I was growing up there was not any of the technology they have to do but miraculously we always found a way to entertain ourselves with out having the police called on us. Why does the city have to have something for them to do, its not their job to raise them and entertain them and for lazaruis maybe to them it was a harmless prank but come on they are old enough to use commonsense maybe they need some Community Service instead of felony charges
Gerald says
Hey, you could put an eye out with one of those things Ralphie !!!
Anonymous says
Im not saying the County is responsible for their entertainment. Just that it is not kid friendly. Kids these days live in a different world. One of sexual predators and pedphiles. They dont know how to play outside like we did. If they do their close to home. The days of riding bikes to the corner store for candy or ice cream is over. Its just not safe. They spend so much time on gaming systems they dont know how to interact with people. I hate those games. They teach violence and give them a sense of unaccountability.
Laura Cohill says
Interesting, when my adult neighbor shot his BB gun at my car while taking my kids to school in the morning he was only charged with criminal mischief. Received a fine, probation and time served…
Anonymous says
Really, Laura. Was that here? Interesting. The old double standard?
Sw says
Idiots
Anon says
Can’t believe I grew up with him
Anonymous says
That’s my cousin starting his police record.