APOPKA, Fla. — City and community leaders met with Apopka Pop Warner football league parents about new safety protocols that will help keep everyone during the season safe.
The meeting was at the Apopka Amphitheater, where Apopka Pop Warner league leaders and Mayor Bryan Nelson talked about improving safety protocols for players and parents during games and practices.
Mayor Nelson spoke about adding off-duty officers on Saturday game days to patrol the park.
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“I think we’ll see some improvements. You always have to adjust, fortunately, nobody got killed, but unfortunately, there’s a person with an 11-year-old with a gun,” said Bryan Nelson, Mayor of Apopka.
Monday night after Pop Warner football practice, an 11-year-old pulled the trigger of his mother’s handgun. He shot into a group of kids and hit two other juveniles, one in the back and one in the elbow.
Police said both victims will recover. The 11-year-old boy was charged with attempted second-degree murder.
Witnesses said the 11-year-old was being bullied by the victims and others told police he and a 13-year-old teammate were fighting over a bag of chips.
Read: Apopka High School teacher charged in ‘sexual incident’ with teen boy after giving him edibles
Leaders said the plan is to continue to use the Pop Warner League to keep kids away from violence and steer them in the right direction.
Parents told Eyewitness News Monday’s shooting changed everyone’s lives, and they want to start bringing awareness to anti-bullying and problem-solving programs so shootings can be avoided in the future.
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