A 17-year-old who was arrested in January in connection with the fatal shooting of another teen on New Year’s Eve in Fort Lauderdale Beach will not face charges. The Broward State Attorney’s Office determined that the teen’s actions were justified, as he acted in self-defense.

Investigation Details

Surveillance video showed that the victim, 17-year-old Joshua Gipson Jr., was the aggressor and had made threats before the shooting. Gipson was also found to be armed and had attacked two of the shooter’s friends before advancing on the shooter, despite warnings to stop. The investigation found that the teens knew each other through social media and had previously exchanged words.

Gipson’s family is still mourning his death. The shooting occurred in the area of 17 South Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard at around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. After the shooter shot Gipson twice, Gipson’s friends fired back, creating chaos among the hundreds of people in the area.

Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.