An incident near the UCF Downtown campus in Orlando has led to the arrest of a 16-year-old boy after reports of a shooting surfaced on Friday night. Orlando Police Department (OPD) officers arrived at North Terry Avenue following a tip about a minor carrying a handgun. With assistance from the UCF Police Department, they managed to apprehend the teenager, whose name was not disclosed due to his age, according to News 6.

According to OPD's statement, relayed by WESH 2, the young suspect is charged with aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in public. Arresting the suspect with no reported injuries or property damage, witnesses at the scene were left unharmed in the incident, suggesting a bullet had not found any unintended targets. The officers responded to the emergency call, ensuring the safety of those nearby.

The reason behind the teenager's decision to discharge the firearm remains unclear. WFTV 9 provided details indicating that no property damage resulted from the gunfire. As the community processes this occurrence, the absence of physical injury serves as a bleak consolation amidst the echoes of gunfire on a college campus.

Investigations are ongoing as authorities work to understand the circumstances that led to the event. While details are sparse, the prompt collaboration between OPD and UCF Police signals a coordinated effort to maintain public safety. The charges facing the teenager, described as aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm in public, per OPD, reflect the seriousness with which this case is being treated. In the middle of deliberating the best course of action, the criminal justice system must decide how to proceed with the youth at the center of this alarming episode.