Two Florida teenagers are facing charges in the death of a third teen, after they shot one another while wearing body armor.
Joshua Vining and Colton Whitler, both 17, were arrested four days after the shooting that left 16-year-old Christopher Leroy Broad Jr. dead.
Vining is accused of aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm, and Whitler is accused of providing false information to law enforcement. Both are charged as adults.
The shooting happened Sunday evening at a residence in Belleview, about an hour northwest of Orlando. Officers arrived to find Broad suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to the hospital where he died.
The Belleview Police Department said investigators uncovered evidence indicating that Vining shot and killed Broad.
"It was determined that Vining and Broad were taking turns shooting at each other while wearing a vest which contained a form of body armor. Vining shot at Broad while he was wearing the vest and he was struck," police said in a statement.
Whitler, who was initially interviewed as a witness to the shooting, "misled officials with inaccurate information about what took place and who shot Broad," police added.
The shooting was captured on video recorded by another teenager at the scene, according to WKMG-TV. The outlet cited an affidavit that detailed a conversation between the teenager and police that indicated Vining initiated the situation by asking if they "had ever seen anyone get shot with a bullet proof vest on." The video allegedly showed Broad firing one shot at an armor-clad Vining before the teens switched roles and Vining fired five shots at Broad, according to the report.
Whitler allegedly told dispatchers that Broad was injured when his house was "shot up," WKMG-TV reported. He also apparently tried to implicate the third teenager at the scene.
The 9 mm handgun used in the shooting belongs to Vining's father, WESH-TV reported. It's not clear how the teenagers had access to the weapon or if the father will face charges.
Vining and Whitler were released from custody the day after their arrests, according to CNN. Vining posted a $30,000 bond while Whitler was released on a $1,000 surety bond.
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