WATCH: Brevard Sheriff’s Office Arrests Teen for Shooting Firearm Near Residential Neighborhood, Unlawful Possession
By Space Coast Daily // October 24, 2024
Message from Sheriff Wayne Ivey
ABOVE VIDEO: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced the arrests of a teen for Shooting at or within a building, Shooting Firearm Near Residential Neighborhood, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey announced the arrests of a teen for Shooting at or Within a building, Shooting Firearm Near Residential Neighborhood, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Person Under 18.
Here is the statement by Sheriff Ivey:
Hello, everyone. I’m Sheriff Wayne Ivy. Over the course of the past few days, our agency has received numerous inquiries about an incident that took place on October 20th involving a backpack with a rifle and ammunition that was discovered by a citizen in the wooded area about 400 feet west of Suntree Elementary.
Since that initial incident, over the course of the past several days, our team has been conducting an extensive and exhaustive investigation into the matter, to include serving search warrants and forensic examinations on the suspect’s telephone, and an additional search warrant at the suspect’s residence.
With that said, this evening, I want to give everyone an update on the investigation and subsequent arrest of 13-year-old Cooper Aiden Schwartz, who was determined to be the person who hid the backpack, firearms, and other items in the wooded area.
Now, as I said, this case first started on the 20th when an uninvolved party discovered the backpack containing a 22 rifle, ammunition, and numerous other items.
The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office was contacted regarding in the discovery, and deputies responded to the area to initiate an investigation.
While initially, deputies and agents were unable to determine a suspect in the case, on the following day, several of our citizens observed a male subject wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt, gray sweat pants, in a tan backpack who was seen running from the area where the backpack and rifle were located.
The subject quickly fled the area after being confronted by nearby neighbors about what he was doing in the area. The male subject was observed a few moments later by one of our deputies near the intersection of Oak Park Drive and Sweetwater Court.
The subject was breathing heavily and looking around as if you were checking to see if someone was following him, so our deputy approached and inquired what was taking place. The subject was then identified as Cooper Aiden Schwartz, who stated that he missed his school bus and was running home.
As stated earlier, Schwartz was subsequently determined to be the person who left the items in the woods and was further determined to have removed the fire from his residence without permission or knowledge of his parents.
Schwartz was further to have concealed the rifle in a backpack and transported it to a wooded area near his residence in attempt to fire the weapon and do target practicing.
The parents of the suspect in this case have been extremely cooperative and have assisted in this investigation as they recognize the seriousness of the incident and the concerns it created.
Everything we have uncovered in this investigation has demonstrated that Cooper Schwartz was able to gain access to the weapon that was in a locked area of the house by learning where the key was hidden and then obtaining access to the firearms without permission from either parent.
Now, while the weapon was located in close proximity to one of our schools, there is no indication from the evidence we have obtained so far in this investigation that there was any intent or plan to target a school in any capacity.
As part of our investigation, agents conducted a forensic examination on the suspect’s phone, execute a search warrant on his bedroom and personal items, and interviewed all potential witnesses or involved parties.
As a result, there has been no evidence or indication that his actions or intent with the weapon was to harm a school or anyone on the campus for that matter.
From everything our investigation has revealed to date, Schwartz obtained the rifle without permission, took it, ammunition, and other items to the wooded area for the purpose of target practicing.
Further evidence in the investigation revealed that Schwartz had, in fact, in the past, used the exact same location for target practice and had left the items there with plans to return later.
Again, I want to reiterate that no evidence in our case indicates that Schwartz had any intent to target one of our schools or anyone on our school campuses. As a result of our investigation, Cooper Aiden Schwartz has been charged with shooting at, within, or into a building or dwelling, discharging a fire in a residential neighborhood.
Persons engaged in criminal offense, having a weapon while committing a felony, and unlawful possession of a firearms by a person under 18. As a result of his charges, Schwartz was taken to juvenile detention center where he is currently being held.
In closing, I want to first commend the citizen who found the weapon in the woods for seeing something and saying something as we always ask. And of course, our deputies, agents, and crime scene unit who work this case tirelessly to ensure our citizens’ safety. Have a good evening, and God bless.
