PANAMA CITY – A 17-year-old boy was killed in a shooting that left two others arrested.
The shooting happened Nov. 25 at the Foxwoods Apartments, located at 1701 Hamilton Ave. in Panama City, a release from the Panama City Police Department said.
When officers arrived, they found a 17-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound.
Members of Bay County Emergency Medical Services and the Panama City Fire Department attempted to perform life-saving measures, but the teen was pronounced dead at the scene.
At a press conference on November 26, Captain Chris Nichol of PCPD’s Investigative Services Section said that another teen made the original 911 call and attempted to mislead officers. Through interviews and analysis, police identified the suspected shooter as 19-year-old Aaron Brooks, Nichol said.
The News Herald, part of the USA TODAY Company, has a policy of not naming minors in articles about crime.
Nichol said that Brooks, the teen who was shot and who called 911, had been using drugs and handling the gun carelessly in the hours leading up to the incident. There were eight people in the apartment at the time of the shooting.
“The motive is still under investigation, but someone may have intentionally pulled the trigger to fire the gun,” Niccol said in response to a reporter asking if it was possible the shooting was an accident.
At this time, Nichol said police do not believe the shooting was random.
Nichol said the investigation led police to believe that Brooks pointed the gun at the 17-year-old and pulled the trigger. Nichol said Brooks left the scene after the incident and investigators were originally told that the 17-year-old boy’s gunshot wound was self-inflicted and an accident.
Nichol said investigators believe Brooks had a firearm at the time of the incident, but they are looking for the “long-term” owner. The weapon was a 9mm Taurus pistol.
Brooks is accused of murder and tampering with evidence. He was also charged with violation of probation in a 2024 case where he was found guilty of improper display of a firearm. Brooks is being held in the Bay County Jail without bond.
The teen who called 911 has been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.
Nicoll said the investigation is ongoing, adding that due to the community’s help and the efforts of investigators, police were able to locate and arrest the suspects within about six hours of the incident.
More information on local crime: Arrests made in fatal shooting. Panama City police say victim was not targeted
People with more information can call the Panama City Police Department at 850-872-3100 or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 850-785-TIPS.
The 17-year-old’s mother has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral service.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Man charged with murder in shooting death of 19-year-old Panama City teen
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