15-year-old girl accused of shooting at Fla. deputies sentenced to 20 years

By Ashley Silver

Police1

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A 15-year-old involved in a shootout with Florida deputies in June 2021 accepted a plea deal last week, which stipulates she will face 20 years in prison followed by 40 years of probation.

News 6 Orlando previously reported that Nicole Jackson, who was 14 at the time, and a 12-year-old boy broke into a home and used the guns inside to fire at Volusia County deputies who responded to the scene in 2021. Both were foster children who had run away from the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home and had histories of mental health issues, with both being held for psychological evaluations several times under the Baker Act.

“[The children] positioned themselves by a bedroom door and from my tactical experience, I was amazed the young lady took the position at the door with a shotgun and it was to the point it looked like she was waiting for our deputies to come in,” said Sgt. Donnie Maxwell, who hid behind a tree to avoid the gunfire during the incident.

The two continued shooting at officers for nearly 30 minutes before Jackson exited the home with a shotgun leveled at deputies, forcing them to return fire.

No deputies were injured in the shootout, but Jackson was shot in the chest and arm. She was taken to the hospital in serious condition but recovered. According to News 6 Orlando, Jackson changed her plea decision after previously rejecting the state’s deal earlier this month. The state attorney’s office said Jackson also pleaded to other pending charges of malicious or intentional burning of lands and criminal mischief from Flagler County.

“You can’t shoot at the police, you just can’t do it,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said following the hearing. “Somebody has got to stand up for law enforcement. We are not punching bags. It doesn’t matter what the age is.”