NICEVILLE Thanks to a local pastor and city police, recent efforts of a would-be Scrooge to extinguish the work of some young entrepreneurs backfired in a big way.
On June 1, police received several callsabout people soliciting donations and allegedly running a business that violated licensing codes.
When Officer Thomas Bronson investigated the matter, he found the source that had oddly raised concern: a couple of girls running a lemonade stand on the grounds of Faith Independent Baptist Church on Valparaiso Boulevard.
“It was just one person who was upset about it,” Police Chief David Popwell said Monday. “The kids were great. They were on church property and were selling lemonade. They were kids. I saw no problem.”
The incident occurred about 2:45 p.m. Sunday at 191 E. John Sims Parkway.
The two men got into a physical altercation in the restaurant s parking lot, according to the Facebook post. One of the men pulled out a firearm, and the other man grabbed the barrel of the gun and attempted to pull it away.
The weapon went off during the struggle, wounding both individuals, the post said.
Both men were transported to the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center for medical treatment.
The Niceville Police Department has identified the men but has not publicly released their names or the extent of their injuries.