2 teens, 12-year-old arrested for allegedly fatally shooting 3 teenagers in Florida

MARION COUNTY, Fla. (TCD) -- A 16-year-old was located and taken into custody over the weekend after two other juveniles were arrested in connection with the fatal shootings of three teenagers.

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, on Thursday, March 30, at 10:52 p.m., deputies went to Forest Lakes Park after receiving a call about a female in the road with a gunshot wound. Paramedics transported the victim, 16-year-old Layla Danielle Silvernail, to the hospital in critical condition. She later died from her injuries.

The next morning at approximately 7:55 a.m., Marion County deputies were called to SE 94th Street and SE 188th Court regarding a victim in the road. The person was deceased by the time deputies got there.

On April 1 at 12:40 p.m., Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies went to Malauka Loop and Malauka Loop Trace after receiving information about an ongoing homicide investigation. When they arrived, they found a partially submerged vehicle in a body of water with a deceased juvenile female victim inside.

The other two victims were not publicly identified.

According to Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, the car belonged to Silvernail.

On April 7, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office identified the three suspects as 17-year-old Robert Robinson, 12-year-old Christopher Atkins, and 16-year-old Tahj Brewton. Deputies located and arrested Atkins and Robinson on first-degree murder charges, but Brewton remained at large until his capture the next day.

Brewton was apprehended in Groveland, Florida, by the U.S. Marshals and arrested on an outstanding warrant of carjacking with a firearm, fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, aggravated assault, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and tampering with an electronic monitoring device. Additional charges are forthcoming, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Woods said the suspects were "in some shape or form is associated with a gang," adding, "There is no honor among thieves, and at some point these three individuals turned on our three victims and murdered them."

MORE:

• Death Investigation, 3/30/2023 - Marion County Sheriff's Office
• Update, 3/31/2023 - Marion County Sheriff's Office
• Update to Forest Lakes Park Homicide Investigation, 4/2/2023 - Marion County Sheriff's Office
• SHERIFF WOODS ADDRESSES FOREST LAKES PARK HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, 4/3/2023 - Marion County Sheriff's Office
• Juveniles arrested for First Degree Murder - Marion County Sheriff's Office
• Juveniles Charged with First-Degree Murder - Marion County Sheriff's Office
• Brewton is in custody - Marion County Sheriff's Office