Phone Records Support Sheriff's Dept. In School Shooting

Ralph Penley, the boy's father said he informed deputies the gun was not real before his son was shot. But at an afternoon news conference, Eslinger said that information came at the same time Chris was shot and cited a call made to Ralph Penley at 10:21 a.m., where shots can be heard in the background.

"We had no prior knowledge that the firearm replica he was holding was in fact an air strike pistol," Eslinger said.

Should police respond the same way to a child with a gun as they would an adult with one?

Local6 is reporting...

Also Tuesday, Local 6 News learned that several years ago, Penley wrote a school paper concerning pointing a gun at a police officer.

Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger confirmed the Local 6 News report and read from a school paper written by Penley.

"It states, 'If you point a gun at a cop, they will shoot you even if you don't shoot him or a person,'" Eslinger said. "It's just to give you some idea of maybe, possibly state of mind."