17-year-old arrested after deputies respond to gunshots at LaBelle Dollar General

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Reports of gunshots sent Hendry County deputies racing to a Dollar General parking lot in LaBelle on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred at the corner of Cowboy Way and Collingswood.

A juvenile suspect has been detained, deputies said.

No injuries were reported.

A cashier at the Dollar General initially mistook the gunshots for fireworks until a coworker informed him otherwise and called 911.

Margaret Wilcox, a local resident, received a call alerting her to the shooting while she was on her way back from Fort Myers.

“We were coming from Fort Myers, and we got a phone call, obviously, that there was a shooting,” said Wilcox.

Upon arrival, Wilcox saw detectives examining the area behind the store where at least seven yellow evidence markers were placed in the grass.

Wilcox expressed her concern for her neighborhood, saying, “This is scary. This is our neighborhood, this is where we live, this is where our children live!”

Her 6-year-old daughter, Olivia, shared that she was too frightened to visit the store after what she witnessed outside.

“I was I was about to ask mom, when I first waked up for my nap, ‘Let’s go like to aunt Brenda’s,'” said Olivia. “But I got too scared, and I was gonna go to the Dollar General with my Aunt Brenda but it’s just too scary.”

By 6:00 p.m., the Dollar General was operating normally again, although the incident left a lasting impact on the community.

“These things need to be handled. Immediately, I mean. It is very scary,” said Wilcox.

Authorities are investigating if anyone will face charges and whether the gun involved has been recovered.

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