Sheriff's deputies on Wednesday continued investigating how a 6-year-old mentally handicapped boy got a loaded .22-caliber gun that accidentally fired at Robinson Elementary School in Plant City.

The boy, who was not named by authorities, was reaching into his pocket when the gun went off during class Tuesday morning.

No one was injured but, the shot startled the nine other children in the class. Many parents went to the school to take their children home early.

Sheriff's officials decided not to charge the first-grader with possession of a firearm on school property, a felony, because of his age and disability.

But whoever made the gun available to the boy could face criminal charges, said sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder.

He said detectives have determined who owned the gun and have several leads about how the boy got it. "I can't say for sure anybody will be charged," Reder added.

Pam Bondi, spokeswoman for State Attorney Mark Ober, said the law allows for the prosecution of a person who stores or leaves a loaded firearm within reach of a child if the weapon inflicts injury.

She said she is unsure whether the law would apply to the Robinson case because the boy suffered only a bruised leg.

The boy, who was taken into protective custody Tuesday, was returned to his mother Wednesday.

School spokesman Mark Hart said about five parents expressed concern about the shooting, but otherwise it was school as normal on Wednesday.

Navy parachutist to be buried today

The U.S. Navy SEAL who died Aug. 30 after his parachute partly collapsed during a practice jump at Raymond James Stadium will be buried today in a private ceremony at Hampton National Cemetery in Hampton, Va.

Military officials said Lt. Commander Rock Edward Blais, 40, a member of the U.S. Special Operations Command parachute team and a native of Virginia Beach, Va., will be buried with full military honors. A memorial service will precede the burial at the Little Creek Amphibious Base Chapel in Norfolk, Va.

Another service for Lt. Cmdr. Blais will be scheduled at MacDill Air Force Base later.

Officials said Blais' death was preceded by that of his mother, Florence, and the recent death of his infant daughter, Aubrey. Survivors include his wife, Hollie, his son and daughter, Scott and Kathryn Blais of New York, his father, Master Chief Thomas Blais, and his sisters, Maria Goddman and Eva Anderson, all of Virginia.

The Blais family has requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Naval Special Warfare Foundation, P.O. Box 5365, Virginia Beach, 23471; the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, P.O. Box 14385, Tampa, 33690; or the Hygeia Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 3943, Amity Station, New Haven, Conn., 06525.

The Altmeyer Funeral Home of Greenwich Road, Virginia Beach, is making funeral arrangements.

Commission delays decision on stadium

Hillsborough County commissioners Wednesday delayed a decision on whether to take ownership of Raymond James Stadium to solve its property tax problems.

Criticizing the Tampa Sports Authority, which owns the stadium, as well as their own staff, commissioners said they lacked enough information to take a final vote on the options before them. They ordered their staff to come back in two weeks with the necessary paperwork.

The commission has been weighing what to do with the stadium since an April Florida Supreme Court ruling that arenas owned by certain types of governments and leased to private businesses must pay property taxes. The ruling meant that the Sports Authority had to pay back taxes totaling $10.23-million for 1999 and 2000. Because the Sports Authority doesn't have enough money, the liability falls on Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa.

The court ruling didn't apply to counties. So Hillsborough commissioners are considering whether to take ownership of Raymond James.

Back to Tampa area news

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

Special Links

Mary Jo Melone

Howard Troxler

From the Times
Tampa bureaus

Around the county

Rule may nix mixing business, pleasure