Florida teen dies when he and friend allegedly shoot at each other to test bulletproof vest

BELLEVIEW, Fla. (TCD) -- Two teens were arrested last week after a 16-year-old boy was fatally shot while he and his friend took turns shooting at each other while they traded off wearing body armor.

According to a statement, on Sunday, April 3, Belleview Police Department officers responded to a shooting call on the 10400 block of SE 52nd Court and found the victim, Christopher Leroy Broad Jr., with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died.

Belleview Police detectives reportedly discovered during the investigation that on the day of Broad’s shooting, he and 17-year-old Joshua Vining "were taking turns shooting at each other while wearing a vest which contained a form of body armor."

Vining allegedly aimed at Broad, and Broad was hit. Belleview Police arrested Vining on April 7 for aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm. Colton Whitler, 17, was also taken into custody because he allegedly "misled officials with inaccurate information about what took place and who shot Broad."

WKMG-TV, which cites the arrest affidavit, reports another friend recorded the incident on his cellphone. Vining allegedly asked the group of friends if they "had ever seen anyone get shot with a bulletproof vest on."

Video allegedly shows Broad shooting at Vining, who is wearing the vest, and vice versa. Vining allegedly shot at Broad once, then four more times after Broad nodded at him.

Whitler reportedly told police his "house just got shot up" and his friend "got shot in the chest."

According to the Ocala Star-Banner, the bulletproof vest reportedly belongs to Vining’s father. The two teens were booked into the Marion County Jail and released on bond.

Belleview Police said both Vining and Whitler are being charged as adults.

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