Woman Points Real-Looking Rifle at ‘Petrified’ Teen Boys for Fishing Near Her Backyard — But it wasn’t Her Property, Cops Say

A Florida woman is facing serious charges after allegedly pointing a pellet gun—mistaken for a real firearm—at two teenage boys who were fishing near her home. Donna Elkins, 59, was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault in connection to the frightening encounter.

Confrontation at the Pond

According to a probable cause affidavit from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Elkins called 911 on March 28 to report that she had “petrified” two boys, ages 13 and 15, who were fishing behind her home in the 500 block of Royston Drive. She admitted to stopping the boys and making them lie on the ground. Deputies responded to the scene and spoke with Elkins, who claimed she had approached the boys with a pellet gun in an attempt to scare them. However, the teens had a much different version of the events. They told authorities that Elkins approached them aggressively, pointed the gun at them, and threatened to “blow their heads off.”

Fear and Chaos

The boys reported that they were too afraid to move because they believed the gun was real and that Elkins was serious about her threats. A witness who was present confirmed that the boys immediately dropped to the ground when Elkins pointed the weapon at them. She stated that Elkins continued walking toward them while yelling, further escalating the situation. Elkins’ husband eventually intervened, disarming her before law enforcement arrived. The responding officers recovered the pellet gun and noted that it closely resembled a real firearm, adding to the severity of the situation. One of the teenagers, the 15-year-old, later told local news, “In my head, it was a real gun. That she was going to shoot us and kill us. The fact that she was saying she was going to blow our heads off—you can’t do that with a pellet gun. I thought it was real.”

Legal Consequences and Property Dispute

Authorities reviewed property records and determined that the area where the boys were fishing did not belong to Elkins but was part of the residential development. This further undermined her claim that the boys were trespassing on her property. Elkins was arrested and taken to the Brevard County Jail, but she has since bonded out. Her next court date is set for April 22, where she will face charges of aggravated assault. This incident has raised concerns about the use of force in disputes and how perceived threats can escalate into dangerous situations. The teens, while unharmed physically, were left shaken by the experience. “What she did was wrong,” one of them stated. As the case moves forward in court, Elkins may face serious legal repercussions for her actions, particularly given the fear and trauma inflicted on the teenagers.