ORLANDO, Fla. — The mother of an 11-year-old who is accused of shooting two teenagers at a pop warner football practice in Apopka will not face jail time. The woman was charged on accusations of leaving a gun unsecured inside of her car.
Sharelle Johnson entered a plea of no contest Friday. She was charged with a felony count of culpable negligence after investigators said she left a loaded gun within reach of a minor.
The prosecutor read a victim impact statement at the hearing that said, “My son lost one of his major organs, he now has permanent disfigurement. He doesn’t enjoy doing the things he used to do. He is not happy. He has struggled a bit at school. Perhaps if you stored your firearm appropriately this would never have happened.”
Johnson faced a maximum of five years in prison.
“Do you understand the charge and the maximum penalty?” the judge asked. “Yes,” Johnson answered.
She wiped away tears inside the courtroom Friday.
The court sentenced her to one year of community control and two years of supervised probation. She must also write an apology letter and attend parenting classes, as well as serve 100 hours of community service.
At the time of her arrest, the state attorney’s office said Johnson left the firearm in a “worn and tattered” cardboard box without any locks.
Johnson’s son was arrested in October 2023 after police say he shot two other teenagers in a parking lot near a pop warner football field in Apopka.
Police say it started as an argument over a bag of chips.
Surveillance video showed one of the teens chasing the 11-year-old to his mother’s car, where he got the gun from the vehicle and shot at one of the boys chasing him.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
