June 9, 2001

On June 8, 2001 at approximately 3:35 PM, Coral Springs Police received a 911 call from a person who said they saw a child firing a handgun on the side of a house in the 4400 block of NW 67 Ave. Police responded and arrested 14-year-old Forest Glen Middle School 8th grader John Collier Farino of 4021 NW 73 Way, Coral Springs, who had walked on to the property of Forest Glen Middle School with the weapon concealed in his pocket. Another student, 12-year-old 6th grader Franky Hernandez of 8761 Wiles Road #305, Coral Springs, was in the company of Farino and also in possession of a handgun, initially eluded arrest by boarding a Broward County school bus and hid the gun in the backpack of an unsuspecting student. Hernandez got off the bus in the area of Copperfield Apartments where he threw the gun into a manmade lake. The gun has been since been recovered by the Broward Sheriff's Office Dive Team. According to investigators:

Earlier in the day Farino and Hernandez burglarized four homes taking property, which included two handguns from one of the residences. The two also caused extensive vandalism at one of the residences. After committing the burglaries, Farino and Hernandez went to the 4400 block of NW 67 Ave where they began firing the guns and at one point, Farino pointed the gun at a student who was walking home from school.

Farino was arrested for the offenses of Aggravated Assault, Discharge of a Firearm in Public, Carrying a Concealed Firearm, Possession of a Firearm on School Property, Burglary, Grand Theft, and Felony Criminal Mischief.

Hernandez was arrested for the offenses of Discharge of a Firearm in Public, Possession of a Firearm on School Property, Burglary, Grand Theft, and Felony Criminal Mischief.

PIO: Sergeant Rich Nicorvo/954-346-1233