TAMPA, Fla. – Five juveniles arrested in connection with a violent attack on a teenager near the Davis Island Dog Park in Tampa will be charged as adults, prosecutors announced. The incident, which occurred on February 13, 2025, involved the suspects and several other juveniles approaching a pickup truck where the victim was sitting.
Investigators have obtained multiple cell phone videos showing the suspects entering the vehicle, forcibly removing the victim, and repeatedly beating him. The victim lost consciousness during the assault, but the attackers continued to strike him.
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“My team of prosecutors and investigators have been reviewing the facts and evidence, including videos from the incident, which are difficult to watch,” said Hillsborough County State Attorney Suzy Lopez. “As prosecutors, it is our job to analyze the facts and apply the law. Today, we have charged the five juveniles involved in this attack with attempted first-degree murder, as well as other charges. They will face those charges in adult court. There is a sixth defendant who already turned 18 and is already facing charges as an adult.”
The following five juveniles have been charged as adults:
- Owen Callahan, 17: Attempted Murder in the First Degree
- Jacob Ely, 17: Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Throwing a Deadly Missile at, Within, or Into a Vehicle
- Joseph Gesuale,15: Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Jace Villanueva,16: Attempted Murder in the First Degree, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon
- Grayson Shearer,15: Attempted murder in the first degree.
A sixth defendant, Orian Robinson, who was 18 years old at the time of the crime, will also be charged as an adult with Felony Battery and Burglary with a Battery.
“This was a brutal and senseless attack that has no place in our community,” said Chief Lee Bercaw. “No matter your age, if you commit a crime in our city, expect to be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Thanks to the swift work and dedication of our officers and detectives, these individuals will now face the consequences of their actions.”
Based on the severity of the charges, prosecutors are required by Florida law to request that the defendants be held in custody until trial. A judge will make a determination on this request in the coming days.
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