Charges are “imminent” against teenagers who threw a heap of trash from a boat during the spring break-like event off the coast of Boca Raton, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said.
The FWC has been the lead investigative agency since a viral YouTube video showed two teenagers dumping garbage into the Atlantic Ocean during the Boca Bash on Sunday, and are working with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office, a spokesperson said.
One person on the boat apologized, while a classmate brushed it off with a flippant response when Local 10 asked him about the incident.
“Trash happens everywhere, all over the world,” the unnamed classmate told the news outlet. “We are terrorizing 15-year-old kids ‘cause of trash. Yes, I know they are dumb, but at the same time, we all (have) to realize that Florida is filled with trash.”
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Another teenager, who was one of about a dozen people on the boat, said he was in the front and didn’t see what was happening behind him, Local 10 reported, but he “completely disagree(d)” with their actions.
“That shouldn’t have been the choice he made, but it’s what happened,” he said. “I do feel a little remorse for him, but I feel like he deserves whatever happens because he made a really bad decision.”
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During Wednesday’s commission meeting, FWC Col. Brian Smith said the FWC wanted “to send a message” that the state won’t tolerate this behavior, according to The Palm Beach Post.
He wanted each person involved to do at least 500 hours of community service, according to the local newspaper.
WATCH: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission video statement
Florida’s litter law has a wide array of potential punishments that include penalties, fines and jail time.
As of Friday morning, a final decision hasn’t been made, and the suspects’ names haven’t been released.
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The Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office didn’t immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment, or update on the case.
The incident itself was captured on video by YouTuber Wavy Boats LLC.
The group of teenagers sped into the Atlantic Ocean from Lake Boca, through south Florida’s iconic Boca Raton Inlet, and chucked bins of empty bottles and garbage into the Atlantic Ocean, leaving a trail of trash behind, the video shows.
Drone footage from the front of the boat shows the teenagers laughing and waving.
“This has become a worldwide story,” FWC Chairman Rodney Barreto said during Wednesday’s commission meeting, according to The Palm Beach Post. “Over the weekend, my phone blew up. Hopefully, it will be a huge teaching moment for all of them.”
