FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Erin Maloney, Communications Director
Office of the State Attorney, 13th Judicial Circuit
(813) 557-3366 | Erin.Maloney@sao13th.com
TAMPA, FL (July 18, 2024) — The State Attorney’s Office Gun Violence Unit secured a guilty verdict in the case of the 16-year-old responsible for a game room shooting last year. Our office charged Deondre Smith as an adult after surveillance video captured him firing a gun in a crowded game room located at the Boulevard West River apartments.
The jury learned that the defendant fired multiple rounds, causing injuries to two of his friends inside the game room. In a prior court hearing, Smith testified that he was planning to shoot whoever was coming through the door but did not know who he was firing toward. Investigators were not able to determine his intended target, and the defendant’s friend who was injured testified on his behalf. In spite of this challenge, jurors were able to weigh the facts and evidence to determine the defendant was guilty of attempted second-degree murder.
“This guilty verdict sends a strong message to the residents of Hillsborough County that teen gun violence will not be tolerated under my watch. Committing an act of gun violence, regardless of your age, is a choice that imperils our community, and we must stand together to say enough is enough.,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez.
Smith faces up to life in prison and will be sentenced in September. Assistant State Attorneys Timothy Byrnes and Nathan Watters successfully prosecuted this case. The Tampa Police Department was the investigating agency.
State Attorney Lopez leads a team of talented prosecutors and professional staff who are responsible for all criminal prosecutions in the 13th Judicial Circuit. The State Attorney’s Office is committed to keeping the public informed about the outcomes of major court cases to ensure transparency and accountability. We believe it is of utmost importance for the public to understand how our justice system operates in order to build trust. To learn more about the outcome of cases prosecuted in our office, you can follow us on social media:
· Twitter: @HillsboroughSAO, @SuzyLopezSA
· Instagram: @HillsboroughStateAttorney
· Facebook: @HillsboroughSAO