TEENAGER SHOT IN FAILED DRUG DEAL

A drug deal that went bad led to the shooting of a teenage boy Friday
night and the arrest Saturday of a Tallahassee Community College
student whom deputies linked to the incident.

The 15-year-old was shot in the stomach at 8 p.m. Friday and was found
on Lukeman Lane, not far from Applebee's on Capital Circle Northwest.

"It was a grazing shot," Sgt. Annaliese Wierenga of the Leon County
Sheriff's Office said. "It was not life-threatening."

One suspect was arrested at his job at Wal-Mart at about 4 p.m.
Saturday. He faces charges of attempted first-degree murder, Wierenga
said.

The teenager was treated and released from the hospital.

Shootings during street drug deals happen all the time, Wierenga
said.

While it is not clear if a series of recent shootings is gang-related,
law enforcement is noticing an increase in the number of gun-related
incidents.

"We're seeing more kids with guns," Sgt. Dave Ferrell of the
Tallahassee Police Department said. "We're doing everything we can to
try to stop them."

About two weeks ago, TPD learned about a planned drive-by shooting
after talking to sources who had information on gang activity. Officer
Craig Milton helped divert the incident by arresting a person for
violating his curfew, Ferrell said.

"We try to find out about these things before they happen, and try to
intervene and disrupt it from happening," Ferrell said.

Parents also provide information to police, he said. Some are
disgusted by how their children refuse to obey them and do what they
want them to do.

"They're simply at wit's end with their kids," Ferrell said. "It's
very sad."

Other recent shootings, which may or may not be gang-related,
include:

A 40-year-old man was injured in a shooting at 4 a.m. June 24 in the
1100 block of Hastie Road.

An 18-year-old man was shot in the head in a drive-by shooting at 4
a.m. June 24 in the 600 block of West Fifth Avenue.