A 15-year-old Florida boy, Tommy Lagree Jr., is currently in custody of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, facing charges of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a minor. The charges were filed recently, following an incident that occurred in September, where Lagree allegedly shot a bicyclist in the head. The teenager voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement shortly after the incident.
The incident took place on September 26, around 6 p.m., in Orlando. Lagree and at least two others were in a parked van in the 4900 block of Keith Place. The group was reportedly smoking marijuana, and Lagree was displaying a Taurus 9mm handgun he had tucked in his waistband, as per the arrest affidavit.
The situation escalated when 17-year-old Jahriel Huertas approached the van. Authorities allege that Lagree shot Huertas in the head. Following the shooting, all individuals in the van fled the scene.
Local deputies were alerted and arrived at the scene to find Huertas lying on the road, on top of a bicycle, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Huertas was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing several people running from the van. A law enforcement helicopter was able to track down the residence where at least two of the individuals sought refuge after the shooting. Deputies responded and detained those individuals.
Shortly after the incident, Lagree, accompanied by his attorney, turned himself in to the deputies. His attorney informed the deputies that Lagree was responsible for the shooting. The handgun was subsequently confiscated. Two individuals who were with Lagree at the time of the shooting identified him as the shooter.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear to investigators. Lagree, who has been charged as an adult, is scheduled to appear in court on December 1.