CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. – On Monday, Detective Ramos with the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office’s (CCSO) Major Crimes Unit arrested 75-year-old Carol Kolberg in reference to a stray bullet which hit a juvenile on July 4th, 2020.
The parents of the victim advised that on the 4th of July, they had been outside setting off fireworks when the victim fell to the ground screaming.
Family members saw the victim was bleeding and immediately contacted the CCSO.
When deputies arrived on the scene, they observed the victim being treated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for a wound to his abdomen. The victim was transported to the hospital where it was confirmed that the victim had suffered a gunshot wound and the projectile was still located inside his body.
Detective Ramos responded to the scene and began an extensive investigation.
Over the course of this investigation, multiple complainants advised that Kolberg was regularly seen discharging firearms in the neighborhood. Two of Kolberg’s neighbors reported that their residences were struck by projectiles in the months leading up to the incident.
Evidence collected by the CCSO Forensic Unit allowed Detective Ramos to obtain a search warrant for Kolberg’s residence. During this search, several firearms were seized and sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for ballistic testing. A comparison of rounds fired through one of the seized firearms revealed a match to the projectile recovered from the victim.
On October 5th, Kolberg was arrested for one count of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and one count of Shooting into an Occupied Dwelling. Her bond was set at $20,000 per the bond schedule.
“The ownership and use of firearms comes with great responsibility. It should be the first priority of every gun owner to handle their weapon with every safety protocol in mind,” said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “It has become apparent throughout this investigation that Carol Kolber ignored this responsibility and instead abused her second amendment rights, endangering her entire neighborhood. Detective Ramos worked diligently to give this child, and their family, the justice they deserve.”
For more information on firearm safety, please visit our website, www.SheriffCitrus.org and click the “FL Firearms Guide” under the Citizen Information tab.