Welcome to Arrest Stories. A seventeen-year-old faces serious charges after allegedly opening fire at a homecoming bonfire party, with social media evidence leading to his capture weeks later. Here's what may have happened.
On the evening of September twenty-seventh, what should have been a celebratory Forest High School homecoming bonfire party in Marion County turned violent when Zachary Sarrach allegedly pulled a handgun during a physical altercation and fired multiple shots at another teenager.
According to official reports, the seventeen-year-old wielded the firearm and discharged it multiple times at a juvenile victim during the party. The shocking incident was captured on social media video, which would later prove crucial to the investigation.
Following the shooting, Sarrach reportedly deactivated his social media accounts and expressed intentions to flee to Daytona Beach. However, the case took a significant turn on October third when a Marion County Sheriff's Office detective was contacted by an Ocala Police Department officer who recognized Sarrach from a previous interaction after viewing a still photo from the social media footage.
The investigation gained momentum when authorities showed the video evidence to Sarrach's parents, who confirmed their son was the person depicted in the footage firing the weapon. Faced with mounting evidence, Sarrach's mother ultimately brought him to the sheriff's office.
During questioning, Sarrach admitted to being in possession of the firearm while at the party and acknowledged his involvement in the altercation. He reportedly told investigators he had threatened to shoot at a group of individuals if they attempted to attack him.
On October twenty-eighth, nearly a month after the shooting, Sarrach was taken into custody and transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice. He faces multiple serious charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm by a minor, carrying a concealed firearm, and public discharge of a firearm.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.