September 18, 2024
Community Expresses Gratitude To Lady Lake Police After Arrest of Armed Teen
By Kyle Coppola
Community Expresses Gratitude To Lady Lake Police After Arrest of Armed Teen
LADY LAKE, Fla. — The Lady Lake Police Department is receiving praise from the local community for its quick response and dedication following an incident involving a 15-year-old who allegedly fired a handgun outside a restaurant on Saturday night.
Officers were dispatched to the Fresh Jalapeno Restaurant on U.S. Highway 27/441 around 11 p.m. after reports of a fight. Before arriving, dispatch alerted them to shots fired in the parking lot. Upon their arrival, officers spotted a silver SUV speeding away, with the teenage driver suspected of firing the weapon.
The suspect led police on a brief pursuit, which ended when Fruitland Park officers deployed a tire deflation device. The 15-year-old was apprehended, and officers recovered spent shell casings in the restaurant’s parking lot, as well as the discarded firearm along the roadway.
Thankfully, no injuries or property damage were reported. Witnesses said the altercation, which started inside the restaurant, escalated outside, where the suspect allegedly fired four rounds into the air.
The juvenile was charged with multiple offenses, including discharging a firearm in public, aggravated battery, and fleeing law enforcement.
The Lady Lake Police Department’s rapid and professional handling of the situation has earned them the gratitude of local residents. Community members are expressing their appreciation for the officers’ bravery, diligence, and unwavering commitment to public safety.
As they continue to face risks every day we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Lady Lake Police Department for their tireless efforts in keeping us safe.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
