15-year-old suspect in custody for Walton County shooting

A 15-year-old suspect is in custody after a shooting Thursday morning on Stella Drive in Freeport, according to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m., prompting Freeport Elementary and Freeport Learning Center to go on lockdown as a precaution. The lockdown has since been lifted.

WCSO says one victim was transported with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, described as a white male with reddish-brown hair, was taken into custody and is considered to have been armed and dangerous prior to apprehension.

Law enforcement response included Walton CI K-9 Teams and the WCSO Drone Unit. Stella Drive was closed, and North Jackson Street was shut down between Highway 20 and Old Eucheeanna Road during the manhunt.

Parents were able to sign into the school for last-day-of-school activities, but no student checkouts were permitted during the lockdown.

UPDATE: The Walton County Sheriff’s Office has identified the suspect as a 15-year-old male, who was arrested at 8:36 a.m. on South Jackson Street after emerging from the woods and running south across Highway 20. He has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery, tampering with a victim, tampering with physical evidence, resisting without violence, possession of a firearm by a minor, and criminal mischief. He was booked into the Walton County Jail.

Authorities say the shooting appears to be an isolated incident resulting from a domestic dispute between parties known to each other. The Walton Correctional K-9 Team and Florida Fish and Wildlife K-9 Team assisted in the arrest and area search.

Originally reported by Walton County Sheriff’s Office, MyPanhandle (WMBB) and WJHG NewsChannel 7