EIGHT TEENS CHARGED WITH INCITING A RIOT

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has charged eight teens with inciting a riot Saturday evening at the Gulf Coast Treatment Center in Fort Walton Beach, a detention facility contracted by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. OCSO deputies responded to the call at 1015 Mar Walt Drive around 8:30 p.m. after getting reports that suspects were depriving or attempting to deprive staff members of their radios, assaulting the staff, and damaging facility property. The Fort Walton Beach Police Department also arrived to help control the situation. Staff members say some of the juveniles began throwing chairs and flipping tables and at least one took a staffer’s radio and began speaking gang jargon.
Law enforcement brought the situation under control and transported eight teens to the Department of Juvenile Justice in Crestview.
No injuries were reported although one juvenile who was not arrested was taken to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center for treatment of an asthma attack.