Update 3:18 p.m.:
Deputies said they have arrested two additional people.
19-year-old Patrick Goodwin and 19-year-old Christian Taylor are also charged with tampering with evidence. Deputies said they attempted to hide the gun used in the shooting.
Update (January 21, 2026)
A teenager was arrested after deputies say he fired a gun outside a Waffle House late Saturday night in Port Charlotte, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
The incident happened just after 11 p.m. on January 17 at the restaurant on Kings Highway.
According to investigators, Gavin Ohle, 17, was inside the restaurant acting loud and vulgar. When employees asked him to leave, deputies say he became angry, threw a chair and continued arguing with staff as he walked outside with another male.
At one point, that person tried to restrain Ohle, but deputies say he broke free - later pulling a gun from his waistband and firing one shot in the parking lot.
No one was hit, according to a report from the sheriff's office, and Ohle left the scene.
While investigating at the Waffle House, detectives learned Ohle had later been stabbed during a separate altercation at a home on Ruston Circle in Englewood after the incident at the restaurant.
Deputies say he suffered a non-life-threatening injury, was taken to a local hospital for treatment, and was then released into law enforcement custody.
The investigation into that stabbing is still ongoing.
Ohle was arrested and taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice, where he faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
A SECOND ARREST:
Detectives with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office have arrested another suspect in connection with the shooting outside of a Port Charlotte Waffle House.
On January 20, 2026, investigators arrested Quinzel Sheldon, 19, of Port Charlotte, following their investigation into the January 17 incident.
According to deputies, Sheldon is charged with tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact.
Original Story
A juvenile fired a gun outside a Waffle House in Port Charlotte after being asked to leave the restaurant, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
WATCH: Fox 4's Eric Lovelace spoke to a witness who saw everything:
The incident occurred at the Waffle House on Kings Highway. Investigators said the juvenile suspect entered the restaurant and caused a disturbance before employees asked them to leave.
After exiting the restaurant, the suspect pulled out a firearm, made threats toward employees, and fired the weapon in an attempt to intimidate them, deputies said.
The sheriff's office said the suspect has been located and there is no ongoing threat to the public.
The investigation remains open and active. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
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