The 17-year-old accused of murdering two other teens in a downtown DeLand lot had a history of violence, DeLand police Chief Jason Umberger said in a press conference Aug. 5.
Umberger did not give any details of the crimes committed by Keyan Rundell but listed them in his media briefing.
“He’s got a pretty good criminal history,” Umberger said.
Rundell was arrested Aug. 5 in Manatee County and charged with two counts of second-degree murder, accused of fatally shooting Dustin Rose, 19, and Samson Campbell, 18, behind a trailer in the back of the Athens Theatre in downtown DeLand on July 28.
Umberger said Rundell has previous criminal offenses that include aggravated battery, aggravated assault and firearms violations.
“The State Attorney’s Office will be looking deeply into his criminal background,” Umberger said.
DeLand double murder suspect may be charged as adult, State Attorney says
Also at the Aug. 5 press conference, State Attorney R.J. Larizza said that gun violence by juveniles would not be tolerated. In the Seventh Circuit, the State Attorney’s Office launched a Young Guns Initiative in 2022, targeting violent juvenile offenders who use guns in crimes and charging them as adults.
“This is a prime example of why we have the Young Guns Initiative in the Seventh Circuit,” Larizza said, when asked if Rundell will be charged as an adult. “It’s a sad reality because the suspect, the accused, is a 17-year-old, and look at the age of the folks, who are now dead.”
Larizza said his office will look at the evidence gathered by the DeLand Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Marshal’s Office before deciding whether Rundell will be charged as an adult and face more serious charges.
“So, this gun violence with youthful offenders or with juveniles is not tolerated. We don’t tolerate it. Law enforcement and the community don’t either,” Larizza said. “We typically charge these as adults, and we’ll also look at whether or not second-degree murder is appropriate whether a more serious charge is warranted once we get the information.”
― Patricio G. Balona is a crime and public safety reporter covering Volusia County and occasionally Flagler County. His coverage areas include Daytona Beach, DeLand, Ormond Beach and beyond.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DeLand homicide suspect, 17, had violent criminal history, police say
Reporting by Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patricio G. Balona, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
