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Police: 14-, 17-Year-Old Carjackers Both Had Guns

61-Year Considered Resisting Masked Gunmen

POSTED: Monday, October 27, 2008
UPDATED: 6:11 pm EDT October 27, 2008

Police have identified the two teenagers that they say put on masks, pulled guns and carjacked a 61-year-old at a Westside McDonald's drive-through window early Sunday morning.

Dutch Stafford, 17, was shot about 30 minutes later by two patrol officers as the two boys ran the stolen pickup truck got stuck in a ditch on Lasalle Street. Zevion Collins, 14, was arrested.

Police said they found one gun in the stolen vehicle and another on the ground at the shooting scene.

The victim, Jim Gula, who said he was picking up breakfast before heading to church, was emotionally shaken, but not hurt.

"It thought for a moment, 'Should I do it? My vehicle's still running, should I try to get off?'" Gula said Monday. "But then I had second thoughts. 'They could shoot me; it's not worth it.'"

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Chief Rick Graham said it is a sad reflection of the times we live in that both boys had guns and were involved in violent crime.

"That 14-year-old and that 17-year-old made the choices they made to arm themselves," Chief Rick Graham said. "When they stick a gun in the face of an innocent, law-abiding citizen and forcibly remove property and demand property, what difference does it make how old they area? That 14-year-old can pull that trigger and kill you just as dead as a 40-year-old can."

The carjacking occurred just after 6 a.m. at the restaurant on Cassat Avenue. Graham said officers spotted the stolen vehicle about 20 minutes later only about 1 mile away. When the pickup got stuck as they tried to turn around and flee, police said the boys got out and ran.

Stafford was shot and hospitalized on Sunday. By Monday morning, he was booked into the Duval County jail.

Because both juveniles had previous arrest record, they were charged as "life felons," held without bond and are likely to be tried as adults.

"You thank God," Gula said of walking away without a scratch. "You say, 'Hey, the important thing is you're living another day.' Hopefully these two will live and have a better life and learn from it, maybe."

Sunday's shooting was the third police-involved shooting in one week and the 23rd of 2008.

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