9 minute read
Briefs
Deputies arrest FPC student, 15, for alleged threat
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies have arrested a 15-year-old Flagler Palm Coast High School student who witnesses said threatened to “shoot up” a group of kids at the school in an argument about seats at a lunch table.
Advertisement
The FCSO was notified by school authorities of the threat on Nov. 2.
A witness told deputies that she’d been sitting at a table during lunch and overheard a male student mention something about a gun.
The student said she didn’t hear anything specific and wanted to mind her own business.
Another witness said he and several other students had placed their belongings on a picnic table outside the cafeteria, got their lunches, and returned to their table to see it occupied by another group of students.
The student asked the group to leave, since their stuff was already on the table, but the other students refused.
The students began arguing, and one student mentioned “something about a gun,” the witness said.
Another witness said that the group of students who took over their picnic table “got an attitude,” and that a male student then stated he was going to “shoot them up,” and provided an address for them to come to.
Another witness said the five boys who took over the table had cursed at the students who’d left their stuff there.
She said one of those boys mentioned “shooting” and provided his address.
She tried to de-escalate the situation by asking her group of friends to leave, and they did.
The students took the threat to school administration, and the suspect was identified.
He said there had been an argument and that a location was announced for them to meet after school to fight.
He said he did not recall any mention of a gun or threatening to “shoot them up.”
“This kind of behavior is unacceptable and we will investigate every threat in this county,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “Words have consequences, and behavior like this is not acceptable, especially in our schools. I am once again asking parents to be the sheriff of your home and help us prevent this. Talk to your kids about the seriousness of making threats and to choose their words carefully, as words have consequences under the law. Also, teach them the proper way to handle arguments, and making threats to do violence or planning a fight is not the solution. It takes a much bigger person to walk away and de-escalate the situation than to fight over something as stupid as a picnic table. I’m proud of the students that reported the threats and then de-escalated the situation. They did it right.”
The teen was arrested for threatening a shooting.
Buddy Taylor Middle School student, 13, arrested for written threats to kill
A 13-year-old Buddy Taylor Middle School student has been arrested for threatening during lunch to “shoot up the school.”
FCSO deputies were notified by school authorities on Nov. 5. School administrators said three students has said that they were at a lunch table when one student asked another about a rumor they’d heard. The juvenile replied, “If one more person asks me about that … I am going to shoot up the school,” then indicated that the other two students would be the first targets.
The juvenile claimed it was an empty threat and he didn’t mean it. He was arrested.
Two child molesters enter guilty pleas
Two Flagler County sex offenders pleaded guilty on Nov. 2.
Gaston Santos Jr., 34, pleaded guilty to statutory rape of a 15-yearold girl. He has been sentenced to four years in state prison followed by 10 years of sex offender probation.
Isaac Julio Becker, 22, pleaded guilty to forcibly restraining and raping a girl multiple times when she was between 13 and 15 years old.
He has been sentenced to eight years in state prison followed by 10 years of sex offender probation with the requirement to be registered as a sexual predator.
Man shoots and injures woman, kills himself
MELISSA MORREALE
FCSO PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER
A man shot a woman four times on Nov. 4, injuring her, then shot and killed himself.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence on Bunker Knolls Lane in Palm Coast to find two subjects, a female victim and a male identified as Matthew Wright, both with gunshot wounds. Wright died from his injuries, while his victim is in critical condition.
Arriving deputies made contact with Wright’s sister, who was in front of the home and said that her brother was in the garage with a gunshot wound to the head.
Deputies then found his female victim, who said that she and Wright had been arguing in the garage when Wright shot her multiple times while she was sitting on the couch.
She then crawled from the garage to the side yard. When deputies entered the garage, they saw Wright on the floor with an apparent selfinflicted gunshot wound to the head. A firearm was nearby.
Wright’s mother and sister said the victim had told them that Wright had locked her in the garage and shot her. Wright’s sister called the FCSO.
Detectives determined that Wright, a convicted felon, had unlawfully obtained a firearm a few months ago.
He’d shot the victim at least four times before shooting himself once in the head.
Wright has an extensive criminal history dating to 2013. He was previously arrested and charged in Flagler County with burglary with assault and battery, fleeing law enforcement and possession of cocaine, among other crimes. He was last released from a Florida prison on Dec. 11, 2020.
“Unfortunately, this is another example of how a domestic situation can spiral out of control behind closed doors,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “A young woman is fighting for her life because in a moment of rage, her boyfriend thought violence was the answer. The suspect won’t be a threat to anyone ever again. We are praying for the victim and hoping the victim can recover from her injuries. Violence is never the answer and if you are in a volatile situation, you can escape and resources are available to help you.”
SLIDING GLASS DOOR REPAIR
Why repair? • For a smooth sliding door • To reduce air and water leaks • To counter the effects of corrosion • To save money both now and later • To improve door strength in high winds
Why Smooth Coast? • Licensed and Insured • Warrantied Work • Full inventory • Experienced • Local FREE ESTIMATES
Call Today (386) 441-3635 www.TheSmoothCoast.com
Serving Volusia/Flagler/Brevard County
FT-BRV0007861-02
Veteran Owned & Operated
367650-1
You are cordially invited to attend our 18TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL TREE LIGHTING
at Flagler Palms Memorial Gardens
WHEN: Sunday, December 5th at 6:00PM WHERE: The Garden of Memory Mausoleum 511 Old Kings Road South, Flagler Beach, Florida Please bring a favorite ornament in remembrance of your loved one to decorate our Tree of Remembrance. Feel free to bring your own lawn chair. Service will be livestreamed on our Facebook page
Decorating of the tree at our MEMORIAL GARDENS will begin at 5:00 PM Sunday,December 5th
367707-1
Thank you Veterans!
From Sheriff Rick Staly and the men and women of the Flagler County Sheriff' s Office VETERANS DAY NOV. 11, 2021
SHERIFF RICK STALY
PALM COAST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CONCERT SERIES
PRESENTS BETHUNE-COOKMAN UNIVERSITY P P A A L L M M C C O O A A S S T T U U N N II T T E E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R CD M E T H O D I S T C H U R CCONCERT CHORALE H H C C O O N N C C E E R R T T S S E E R R II E E S S P R E S E N T SP R E S E N T S SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2021 AT 3:30PM SUGGESTED DONATION OF $10
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL (386) 445-1600 PALM COAST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 5200 BELLE TERRE PARKWAY, PALM COAST, FL 32137 S S U U N N D D A A Y Y ,, N N O O V V E E M M B B E E R R 11 4 4 ,, 2 2 0 0 2 2 11 WWW.PCUMCCONCERTSERIES.ORG A A T T 3 3 :: 3 3 0 0 P P M M
S S U U G G PALM COAST G E S T E D D O N A T I O N O F $ 1 0G E S T E D D O N A T I O N O F $ 1 0
F F O R MO R M P A LP A L O O M M VFW POST 8696 VFW POST 8696R E I N F O R M A T I O N C A L L ( 3 8 6 ) 4 4 5 - 1 6 0 0R E I N F O R M A T I O N C A L L ( 3 8 6 ) 4 4 5 - 1 6 0 0 C O A S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C HC O A S T U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H ALL SERVICES & EVENTS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 5 2 0 0 B E L L E T E R R E P A R K W A Y5 2 0 0 B E L L E T E R R E P A R K W A Y P P A A L L M M C C O O A A S S T T ,, F F L L PRESENTS 3 2 1 3 73 2 1 3 7
W W W W W W .. P P C C U U M M C C C C O O N N C C E E R R T T S S E E R R II E E S S .. O O R R G G
