Teenage DeSoto County Fair shooting suspect to be tried as adult

Reporter: Asha Patel Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Ryan Watson Jr., 15. (CREDIT: DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office)

Ryan Watson Jr., the 15-year-old suspect in a deadly shooting at the DeSoto County Fair, will be tried as an adult.

Watson is accused of shooting and killing 17-year-old Daniel Rodriguez Lopez at the fair in February. Documents show that Watson has been filed in the adult felony division, and his charges are listed as murder in the second degree with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm.

In Florida, a state attorney can charge a child suspect 14 and older as an adult if they commit one of the felonies outlined in the law, including arson, robbery, kidnapping or murder. Police say they are not sure of a motive in Watson’s alleged shooting of Lopez, but a fight did break out at the DeSoto County Fair before the gunfire started.

WINK News spoke to people after the shooting, and many were shocked that such a tragic event could happen in their small community.

“I think we really have to start watching closely what our kids are doing: Who they’re with and what they’re being taught to do and how they’re being taught to behave,” said Arcadia resident Jean McGowan. “It’s very unusual, unnecessary, and not really what Arcadia is about. It’s a very different thing, very unexpected. Surprised that something like that would happen in this small town. It’s very unusual.”

Several questions surround the case. It is unclear how Watson may have gotten access to a gun and to whom it belonged. He will be held at juvenile detention in Sarasota until 5 p.m. Wednesday. There is an order to transport Watson back to DeSoto County.

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