2 Florida Elementary Teachers Facing Charges After Entering Wrong Home and Shooting Occupant

Two Florida elementary school physical education teachers are facing charges after they entered the wrong person's home and shot someone after a night drinking.

florida police at a crime scene.
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florida police at a crime scene.

Two Florida P.E. teachers were arrested last week after they accidentally went into a stranger’s home thinking it belonged to their friend after a night out drinking. One of the men then shot the homeowner in a scuffle.

According to the Associated Press, newly hired Sebastian Elementary and Indian River Academy physical education teachers Darius Cohen and Akkua Hallback mistakenly entered a family’s home after a night drinking in Vero Beach, Florida. Cohen thought that the house belonged to a friend, and once they entered, he went into the bed where the male occupant, his wife, and child were all sleeping.

This all occurred at 4 A.M. on Oct 10. Once the husband realized someone was in his home, he helped Cohen and Hallback out. Cohen then got involved in a physical altercation with the husband, which Hallback tried to break up before Cohen shot the husband in the back as he was walking back into his home. The husband sustained non-lethal injuries from the encounter.

The two teachers were eventually recognized on the elementary school’s Facebook page, and the authorities were called to arrest them.

Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers explained the incident in a press conference on Monday. Flowers said that Hallback went into the home of a woman he knew while Cohen stayed in his car. A few hours later Cohen contacted Hallback to see if he could use the restroom. Hallback went outside to get Cohen but the two men then entered the wrong apartment. Hallback got back into what he thought was the woman’s bed while Cohen headed to use the bathroom. 

“Mr. Hallback went back to the bed to what he thought was the young lady’s bed – but was actually the couple’s bed,” Flowers said. 

Indian River County Superintendent David Moore also released a statement following the news and fired both Cohen and Hallback.

“I immediately exercised my authority to terminate them last week,” Moore told WPBF.

Both former teachers are facing several charges.

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