A gathering at the Davis Island Dog Park turned into an evening that would change lives forever after a group of teens violently attacked another teenager. Now, at least six teens are facing serious charges for their role in the attack.
What happened, and why are the teens being charged as adults?
An Attack at David Island Dog Park
On the evening of February 13, 2025, a group of teenagers gathered for a small bonfire at Davis Island Dog Park. At around 10:30 pm, the gathering turned violent.
Videos from multiple cell phones showed the scene. Two boys in a black pickup truck were surrounded by a group of teenagers. One of the teens is seen wielding a knife.
At one point, a teen throws a rock at the window of the truck. Then, the group of boys gets inside the car and pulls the passenger out on the pavement. From there, roughly six boys hit and kicked the passenger until he became unconscious, according to reporting by FOX 13.
TJ Grimaldi described the footage to FOX 13, “Pretty sickening. Makes me concerned for my kids. You see that this kid is being stomped on and kicked and down and looks unconscious by a mob of kids.”
What Are the Charges?
Two days after the incident, five teenagers were arrested. Another was arrested the following day. The teenagers involved mostly included minors. All but one of the boys were between the ages of 15 to 17. One was 18 at the time of the incident.
Five of the teenagers appeared in Hillsborough County court on February 21, 2025, and were officially charged with attempted first-degree murder, per reporting by FOX 13. Those charged included Owen Callahan, 17; Jacob Ely, 17; Joseph Gesuale, 16; Jace Villanueva, 16; and Grayson Shearer, 15.
Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez said she plans to prosecute all the suspects as adults.
Related: If You’re Arrested for a Crime, Immediately Take These 6 Steps
Teens Facing Attempted Murder Charges as Adults
Florida Statute 985.557 defines how and when minors can be charged as adults for crimes. The statute says minors must be 14 or older at the time of the crime and that the charge may be elevated “when in the state attorney’s judgment and discretion the public interest requires that adult sanctions be considered or imposed.”
Grimaldi is not surprised the teens are being charged as adults and correctly predicted the elevated charges. Before the charges were announced, he told FOX 13, “The state has the option to charge them as adults, and I think, with current society, current people in power and everything, I think they’re going to be charged as adults.”
The teens now face serious charges as adults.
Attempted first-degree murder is defined by Florida Statute 782.051. It is a first-degree felony that is used when there is an intent to kill another person. It says a defendant had a plan to kill and took significant steps toward committing murder.
The penalties for attempted first-degree murder include fines up to $10,000 and up to life in prison without parole.
Related: Misdemeanor vs Felony: What’s the Difference?
Will The Charges Stick?
It’s unclear if the defense teams for the teens will fight against the elevated charges. At least one of the teen’s defense attorneys believes that the charges against his client are wrong.
Grimaldi thinks the defense teams may point to the behavior of the victim prior to the attack in their defense arguments.
The fight seems to have been triggered by messages exchanged by the teen in the car with those who attacked him. A social media message posted by an anonymous user shows a message that includes racial slurs and threats supposedly sent by the victim to one or more of the teens who assaulted him.
“It may create some concern from a prosecutor’s standpoint about being able to move forward with charges because of what the alleged victim was saying and happening beforehand,” Grimaldi says.
But Grimaldi also doesn’t think the motivation is enough to lessen the charges. “Whether he was provoking them in the past or not, this kid was outnumbered out-positioned, couldn’t have done anything really to defend himself just because there were so many in this mob mentality,” he said.
Related: What to Ask During a Free Consultation with a Lawyer
Talk to a Criminal Defense Attorney
Being involved in a criminal legal matter is stressful, confusing, and complicated. If you have been charged with a crime, make sure you talk to an attorney you can trust to keep your best interests in mind. TJ Grimaldi is an experienced criminal defense attorney who understands the nuances of felony and misdemeanor charges. Talk to him today. All consultations are free.
Request your free consultation or call 813-226-1023 today.
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