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Cantonment Teen Arrested In Shooting Death Of West Florida High Student
June 11, 2011
A Cantonment teen has been arrested for the February shooting death of a West Florida High School student also from Cantonment.
Friday, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested 16-year-old Nicolas Anthoni Diaz and charged him with manslaughter in the shooting death of Ryan Edward Flaherty, 17.
Flaherty had been at a Pensacola home with several friends on February 27 when Diaz shot him in the head with a handgun, the Sheriff’s Office said Friday. He later died at a Pensacola hospital.
“After a lengthy and very thorough investigation by both our investigators and the State Attorney’s Office, it was determined that this was an appropriate charge in this case,” said sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Chris Welborn.
Investigators believe Diaz was under the influence of alcohol when he began to handle a handgun found in the house. The gun discharged as Diaz pointed it at Flaherty; the bullet struck Flaherty in the head.
Diaz is being held by the Florida Department of Youth Services. He has not yet been charged as an adult.
Flaherty was a student at West Florida Tech High School Multi-Media Academy and a member of the varsity soccer team.
Comments
17 Responses to “Cantonment Teen Arrested In Shooting Death Of West Florida High Student”
REGARDING:
“I have a suggestion, keep your opinions to yourself.”
I know you’re unhappy with Doug for suggesting the accused who killed the other kid was wrong to do so, but please consider you just gave your opinion that others should not give their opinions. Further, you judged him wrong for being judgmental.
David thinking Doug’s right
but free to express even if wrong
@Doug, seems that you are getting some grief over the stated facts, but one does have to wonder why anyone would point a gun at someone, even if playing. Poor judgement was involved and the sad fact remains that all the lives surrounding this incident will be forever changed. I have a hard time with people wanting to blame the homeowner for this……..not knowing how he procured the weapon and such. I have a 16 son and we have weapons in the house, but we have taught him from a very early age about gun safety, and the proper handling of guns. In this day and age we seem to try and get away from personal accountability, something else we also teach our children.
Ok…it seems like people feel that I was pulling information out of thin air. I did not state anything that wasn’t in the story above. I understand this is someones child and I can’t imagine what they are going through right now. My only complaint about this is when people are calling it an accident….I’m sure they kid never meant for this to happen. But look at it this way, IF he was under the influence, he nor anyone else has the right to call it an ACCIDENT anymore. Suppose he was drinking and then decided to get in a car an drive. What if he ran into your wife or husband and KILLED them…would you still be wanting to say “oh it was an accident”? Get real people.
@LaVerra–Well since you know for a fact that no person at that house was drunk you should take it upon yourself to give the investigators that they have made a huge mistake. I’m only as good as the information that is put out…but if you absolutely know that nobody had been drinking that must mean that you were there. Because if you weren’t there…you can’t be 100% sure there wasn’t drinking going on.
@speedy2588–Trust me, I’m an avid ready of my Bible. So on that point if you have read your Bible you would have to agree with what is right and wrong. This kid, IF he was under the influence, he made a mistake by first drinking when he was under age. IF he was under the influence from that point further you can’t call it an Accident. I’m sure the rest of the story will never be put on the website but I’m sure it will come out eventually.
OK…let’s just say he wasn’t drinking. That means that he pulled the trigger and killed this other kid with no outside influence. That’s Cold Blood. Gun’s just don’t go off. I feel bad for all involved because most of them had a long life ahead of them. I’m sure the kid that was handling the gun is a good kid with many people who care for him. But that does not justify his actions. SO…I’m sorry if a few of you want to jump on my back for stating my opinion…it’s only my opinion based on the information that we were all provided.
Good Day!
Nick is a child lets not forget that. Nick has family and friends that love and support him (my son for one). No one knows what happened that night except for the kids that were there. Lets keep your negitive unfeeling self rightous commits to yourself (doug). So if it was your child sitting in jail, you would feel the same way you do now, no you wouldnt, you wouldnt want someone that knows nothing about you or your family to sit back and run off at the mouth. I have a suggestion, keep your opinons to yourself. Remember Douggie when youre pointing a finger at someone there are three pointing at you. Or are you so perfect you never had or caused an accident. I remember what happened to the last perfect man. They have a book out about him…Its called the Bible, maybe you should read it. It says :
Thou shalt not Judge.
So @ doug bagget , that 16 year old kid was not drunk!! No one there was drunk i’m need you to get your facts straight instead of jumping in and say crap you know nothing about!!! AND FOR ANYONE ELSE THAT THINKS THAT THE ” 16 YEAR OLD KID” IS AT FAULT WHY DON’T YOU GET ALL YOUR INFO ON THE STORY BEFORE WRITING ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS PAGE!!!
Man some people have no idea what there talking about… IT WAS AN ACCIDENT !!!!!!!! some of yall need to learn the facts.. before you go off saying DUMB things…
regarding:
“NICK DID NOT PURPOSELY SHOOT RYAN.
IT WAS A ACCIDENT”
So you’re saying he is guilty?
( “- – - charged him with manslaughter – - – r” )
NICK DID NOT PURPOSELY SHOOT RYAN.
IT WAS A ACCIDENT. PEOPLE NEED TO GET FACTS STRAIGHT.
REGARDING:
“- – - they will have to now prove that he was under the influence – - – ”
I could be wrong but believe that to prove manslaughter, all you have to prove is that the accused killed the deceased other than in self defense.
David thinking possible drugs irrelevant
This is just awful, I did not see a street address, who owned the residence, who owned the gun, who bought the alcohol, so many unknowns, I rarely see the names of juveniles released. I keep my firearms locked up and I monitor the activity in my home. Im sure we will hear more on this tragedy.
“investigators BELIEVE that diaz was under the influenence”…so, sounds like he didnt have a blood alcohol level done after the deadly event..therefore, they will have to now prove that he was under the influence by using various circumstantial factors …for some reason that i do not know (and ive seen it MANY times), the emergency room physician does not order urine drug screen or blood alcohol testing in order to prove that someone was under the infuence when a crime or motor vehicle incident happened…i find that interesting.
wait, i read it wrong. yes i agree with you doug!
DOUG,
the person who owned the gun has not been charged. did you read the article? the teen was arrested and is being charged with manslaughter.
@ in the know….That is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I would not even consider charging the person who owned the gun…how about charging the DRUNK 16 year old minor with the crime. HE pulled the trigger and killed this other kid. Once he was under the influence there is no room to call this an ACCIDENT. But good question about where the parents were. That alone may have prevented this. But…we can’t go blaming the parents because maybe they were in town or maybe they went out for dinner as a couple or something. Kids will do stupid things from time to time so don’t be so quick to point fingers at others to take the attention off of the DRUNK 16 YEAR OLD KIND WHO KILLED ANOTHER KID BECAUSE HE WAS STUPID.
Just like always we want to blame someone else or something else! We are responsible for our own actions and decisions. Be it good or bad.
IT WAS A ACCIDENT…WHERE WAS THE PARENTS OR THE PERSON WHO OWNED THE GUN ….WHO BOUGHT THE ALCOHOL. LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD BE ASKED. NICK IS A GOOD KID ACCIDENTS HAPPEN NOW IF YOUR GOING TO COMMENT KNOW THE FACTS LIKE I DO ABOUT THE SHOOTING IF NICK IS GOING TO BE CHARGED …WELL CHARGE THE PEOPLE WHO OWNED THE GUN THAT WAS NOT IN A LOCK BOX THAT COULD OF NOT BEEN OPENED AND FIND OUT WHO BOUGHT THE ALCCHOL.
NOTHING good EVER comes out of drinking alcohol!!!!!!!!!!!! NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One life lost and one life ruined. This is so sad all the way around. Hopefully this young boy will find Jesus if he doesn’t know Him as his Saviour.