A person was shot and injured with a flare gun on Monday morning in Charlotte County.
According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, around 5:20 a.m. someone was hit near Toledo Blade Blvd. and El Jobean Rd.
CCSO said the victim was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The sheriff's office arrested Nicholas Sperduti, 31, near the 7-Eleven at Tamiami Tr. and Toledo Blade Blvd.
Sperduti was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Gregory Turner said the shooting happened in a homeless camp located in the woods across from the Racetrack Gas Station at Toledo Blade Boulevard and El Jobean Road.
Gregory Turner, said "She was shot in her face with a flare gun, you know, burned her really good," Turner said. "She's probably going to be disfigured for a while, but she's gonna pull through. She's a tough cookie."
Turner added that Sperduti is not a permanent resident of the camp but is known to wander the area, often aggravating others. "The guy that did it didn't really live back here in the camps. He just comes back here and then roams around and aggravates a lot of people," Turner explained.
Court records reveal Sperduti has a long criminal history, with multiple felony convictions for trespassing, possession of controlled substances, and car theft. He has been arrested more than 10 times in recent years. In May, a judge sentenced him to less than a year in jail for stealing a car.
Local residents, like Jenna and Jaiden Abdullah, expressed frustration, "If there’s crimes, they need to put them away for a way longer time," Jenna Abdullah said. "Put them away for their actual crimes instead of just letting them get back out.
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