Mother of 11-year-old boy accused of shooting peers at football practice bonds out of jail

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The mother of a boy suspected of shooting two other children at a Pop Warner football practice in October 2023 was arrested Thursday morning while at a scheduled court hearing for her son.

Update: Friday 6 a.m.

Sharelle Johnson was arrested Thursday in connection to the October 2023 shooting that injured two children, according to the Office of the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit.

Johnson has been charged with culpable negligence, a third-degree felony that could lead to five years in prison.

The State Attorney’s Office said that on October 2, 2023, Johnson’s 11-year-old son was able to take a loaded firearm from an unsecured cardboard box inside her car, which resulted in two children being shot and injured.

Officials went on to say that the cardboard box holding the gun “was worn and tattered, did not have any safety locks or fasteners and was easily accessible.”

After her arrest Thursday morning, Johnson was booked into the Orange County Jail.

Channel 9 has learned that Johnson was later released from jail after posting bond.

VIDEO: Local mom arrested at hearing for son accused of shooting 2 teens at youth football practice Only Channel 9 was there when the mother of an 11-year-old boy accused of shooting two teens during a youth football practice was arrested herself. (Phylicia Ashley, WFTV.com/WFTV)

Original story:

A football practice at the Northwest Recreation Complex in Apopka turned into a crime scene back in October.

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Channel 9 obtained surveillance video catching the moment it happened.

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Apopka police said three kids got into a fight on the football field and the fight moved to the parking lot. That’s when 33-year-old Sharelle Johnson’s 11-year-old son allegedly grabbed a gun from her car and fired one round that hit two boys, both 13 years old.

One of them was hit in the arm and the other was hit in the torso. Both teens were taken to the hospital and are expected to be OK.

That 11-year-old suspected shooter had a court hearing Thursday.

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Only Channel 9 was there when deputies showed up and arrested Johnson for storing and leaving a gun within reach of a minor.

The state has not decided on whether it will formally file charges against the 11-year-old. In court Thursday, they were waiting on his second evaluation.

Apopka Pop Warner League holds community meeting days after 11-year-old shoots 2 juveniles Apopka Pop Warner League holds community meeting days after 11-year-old shoots 2 juveniles (Nikki DeMarco, WFTV.com/WFTV)

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