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Gunman opens fire at back-to-school event in Florida — then armed bystander steps in
An armed bystander stopped a gunman who opened fire at a back-to-school event in Florida over the weekend. (Image source: WFTV-TV screenshot)

Gunman opens fire at back-to-school event in Florida — then armed bystander steps in

An armed bystander with a concealed carry license shot a gunman who opened fire at a back-to-school event in Titusville, Florida, over the weekend.

What happened?

According to WFTV-TV, shots rang out at the event around 5:20 p.m. on Saturday after a fistfight. One of the individuals involved in the fight later came back to the park where the back-to-school event was ongoing and opened fire, endangering the lives of dozens of children.

That's when a bystander — who was legally licensed to carry a firearm — drew his weapon and fired on the gunman, shooting him in the head.

However, the gunman did not die, WFTV reported. Police have yet to identify the suspect or the armed bystander.

The gunman was the only person injured in the chaos. He was airlifted to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The armed citizen who shot the gunman has been fully cooperative with law enforcement, WFTV reported. If he had not acted, the situation could have ended up much worse, police said.

"We are extremely grateful that nobody else was injured in this incident. This suspect opened fire at a crowded public park, this could have been so much worse," Todd Hutchinson, deputy chief of the Titusville Police Department, said.

Will the bystander be charged with a crime?

No charges are expected to be filed, law enforcement determined after consulting with the Florida state attorney's office. The preliminary investigation showed the citizen's actions were within Florida law.

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Chris Enloe

Chris Enloe

Staff Writer

Chris is a staff writer for Blaze News. He resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can reach him at cenloe@blazemedia.com.
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