Teen gunned down after entering gated community to look for phone, but the person who shot him will avoid jail

A Florida man who shot and killed a teen who was allegedly searching for his phone will avoid jail time, according to cops. The shooter, who was in his 20s, fatally shot 15-year-old Heitor Amaral after he entered the gated community and began knocking on doors.

The incident took place on September 20, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Amaral and two other teens reportedly set out on a quest to retrieve his missing phone. The group used tracking technology to trace it to a gated community called The Club at Hidden River.

The high school freshman had been out the previous night at a club for teens, according to Yessenia Gonzalez, the mother of one of the teens who had been with Amaral. At some point during the night, he lost his phone. He and two friends set out the next morning to find it and, by using the tracking feature, were able to trace it to the gated community.

The teens proceeded to knock on the doors along a row of townhomes. At the third door, the teens found themselves being fired upon by a masked individual. They turned and ran, but Heitor Amaral was hit multiple times and died on the scene.

Conflicting narratives

The two boys who were with Amaral claimed that they did not get into or see any physical altercation with the person who fired upon them. According to the Tampa Bay Times, they were running away when the shooter allegedly fired upon them. According to the teens. Amaral fell behind, and they say they lost sight of him before hearing gunshots. Gonzalez claimed that the trio of teens had not been armed.

However, authorities have since confirmed that the alleged shooter will not be charged, as they are unable to refute their claim of self-defense. According to the department’s account, the teens entered the community through an open gate, parking their truck in the middle of the road. They were asked by a member of the community to move the truck, and they reportedly complied before going door-to-door.

After nobody answered at one of the doors, the group allegedly went around the back of the property, entering the enclosed patio and banging on the glass door. The man who lived in the home told police he put on a mask and armed himself to “scare off the individuals he observed on his private back patio attempting to access his sliding glass door.”

A fight broke out

Evidence reportedly showed that the other teens fled while a physical altercation between Amaral and the resident took place just outside the enclosed patio. The man claimed that he was put in a headlock by Amaral and feared for his life, prompting him to fire his weapon. Officers who attended the scene found a critically injured Amaral, who later died at the scene.

The resident is reportedly cooperating with the authorities and has turned over his gun. However, the family of Heitor Amaral insists that he wasn’t the type to start fights. Gonzalez also said that the teen was respectful and a good influence.