Photo Via Armature Works Facebook Page 

Armature Works is a family-friendly gathering space, so what could have led to a shooting there in the late afternoon on a Tuesday? See what investigators have uncovered about this terrible shooting.

Shots Fired at Armature Works

Armature Works is a mixed-use space featuring a variety of restaurants, bars, and indoor and outdoor seating areas. It is family-friendly and accommodating to people of all ages, making it a popular place day and night. This is why it came as a surprise when gunshots rang out on the property on the afternoon of April 9, 2024.

Police were called to the 1900 block of North Ola Ave. in Tampa around 4 p.m. Gunshots were reported outside of the main Armature Works building in the areas near Stones Throw, a walk-up restaurant and bar located along the Hillsborough River.

When police arrived, they found three people had been shot. According to ABC Action News, the victims included a 47-year-old woman who was shot in the arm, a 28-year-old woman who was shot in the ankle, and a 36-year-old woman who was grazed by a bullet. Two of the victims were taken to a nearby hospital. The third received care at the scene.

None of the injured parties were seriously injured, and none were involved in the altercation that led to the shots fired. So, who was?

What Led Up to the Shooting?

Police believe they know what happened leading up to the gunshots. According to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times, two groups of teen boys, ages 13 to 19, were responsible. It started in the Armature Works bathrooms when a 13-year-old boy, who has not been named, is said to have thrown water on another boy, 17-year-old Gabriel Catuy. The two boys had a physical altercation which led to the younger boy going to get his older brother.

Video captured the boy leaving the area and later returning with his older brother, 19-year-old Jaimartez Young. The teens approached Catuy and his group of friends, and opened fire. In the video, Catuy and his group duck. Catuy is handed a gun, and he fires back at Young and his brother.

The shots hit the three victims who were not involved in the altercation, as well as the 13-year-old Authorities say a fourth person arrived at the hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, and it was Young’s brother.

Related: What to Ask During a Free Consultation with a Lawyer

Two Teen Arrests Made

On the day of the shooting, Catuy was arrested and charged with attempted murder in the second degree with a firearm and a felon in possession of a firearm.

Young turned himself in to authorities the day after the shooting. He was charged with attempted murder in the first-degree, premeditated discharge, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm in public.

Young’s attorney, Rick Escobar, says he will make this a case of self-defense. He recently told FOX 13, “I can tell you that certainly, it was not my client that was involved in the verbal altercation. But I can tell you certainly — that without question — my client’s little brother was attacked. Not only attacked but shot.”

It’s unclear if prosecutors and a jury will agree with Escobar’s assessment of the situation.

Related: If You’re Arrested for a Crime, Immediately Take These 6 Steps

Youth Gun Violence in Tampa

This shooting is a reminder of another incident between two groups of young people that led to shots fired in a crowded public place. In October 2023, a shooting in Ybor left 16 injured and two people dead.

In the wake of the two shootings, the Tampa Police Department will begin implementing $1.5 million in federal grant money in an effort to reduce and prevent youth gun crimes. Per WTSP, Tampa received a $1.5 federal grant from the Department of Justice in 2022. The money was allotted for the area to develop and implement a community violence intervention and prevention initiative. The money will now be used in part to curb the causes that lead to gun violence among young people.

Although both of the people involved in the Armature Works shooting are teenagers, it appears that they will both be charged as adults for their crimes. Both individuals are being charged with attempted murder which could have penalties from 25 to 15 years in prison.

If you have questions about a pending criminal case, schedule a call with TJ Grimaldi. Request your consultation or call 813-226-1023.

Support Individuals Impacted by Gun Violence

As a board member of The Oulson Family Foundation, TJ Grimaldi works to support young people impacted by gun violence. The Oulson Family Foundation helps children get the resources they need in the wake of being impacted by gun violence.

The foundation was founded to honor the life and legacy of Chad Oulson, whose life ended after a senseless act of gun violence. Learn more about The Oulson Family Foundation and see how you can help support children impacted by gun violence.

(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Band-Aids are often thought of as a healing agent. You put a sticky bandage over a cut or wound to start the healing process. However, a recent study says the common healthcare item may actually cause health problems instead of helping to fix them.

What did the study find? And what does it mean for consumers?

Organic Fluorine Found in 26 Popular Bandage Brands

Environmental Health News and Mamavation recently teamed up to test materials used in consumer bandage products. The groups tested 40 bandages that can be commonly found in leading drug and grocery stores.

The organizations sent the bandages to an EPA-certified lab and had them tested for detectable levels of organic fluorine, an indicator of the group of chemicals known as PFAS.

The study discovered organic fluorine in 26 of the tested bandages. Eighteen brands had bandages that tested positive for the substance.

The brands that included the highest levels of fluorine included Band-Aid, Care Science, Curad, CVS Health, Equate, First Honey, Rite Aid brand, Solimo (Amazon brand), and Up & Up (Target’s brand), according to reporting by The Daily Mail.

Related: Can a Man Actually Sue Taco Bell Over The Amount of Filling In Mexican Pizza?

What Are PFAs? Are They Dangerous?

Organic fluorine is a chemical which studies say can indicate the presence of PFAS. PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” and are said to be potentially dangerous to humans.

The detection of organic fluorine and the possible presence of PFAS on the adhesive portion of many bandages is concerning to some experts.

“Because bandages are placed upon open wounds, it’s troubling to learn that they may be also exposing children and adults to PFAS,” said Linda S. Birnbaum, scientist emeritus and former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program and scholar at residence at Duke University.

When forever chemicals enter the bloodstream, they can lodge themselves within healthy tissue. Once in the tissue, the chemicals can damage the immune system as well as the liver, kidneys, and other organs.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to certain levels of PFAS may lead to:

• Reproductive effects such as decreased fertility or increased high blood pressure in pregnant women.
• Developmental effects or delays in children, including low birth weight, accelerated puberty, bone variations, or behavioral changes.
• Increased risk of some cancers, including prostate, kidney, and testicular cancers.
• Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, including reduced vaccine response.
• Interference with the body’s natural hormones.
• Increased cholesterol levels and/or risk of obesity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is uncertain how PFAS affect humans, but they say studies on animals have found that PFAS affect reproduction, thyroid function, and immune systems and also cause liver damage.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

Currently, there are no indications that consumers have experienced negative health effects from bandages. But if consumers start to come forward with signs of negative health outcomes after using the bandages, lawsuits could follow.

PFAs can be found in a variety of consumer products, and some companies are already paying the price for using them in their products. PFAS lawsuits have already been filed by municipalities and Attorney Generals.

In June 2023, 3M reached a $10.3 billion settlement to fund testing and clean up of PFAS they produced that may have contaminated public water supplies, as reported by the New York Times.

Consumer lawsuits could also follow the discovery of potential PFAs in bandages.

Related: Types of Personal Injury Cases: Do You Have a Claim?

What To Do If Sick or Injured by Consumer Products

Under product liability and product defect laws, consumers can seek damages from a company that made contaminated or defective products. If a consumer is injured by a product that did not include a proper warning, the consumer can sue for personal injury.

Consumer-led class action lawsuits have already been filed against some companies that are said to use PFAs in their products.

Thinx period underwear recently settled a $4 million class action lawsuit after BPAS were found in high quantities in their product, as reported by The Daily Mail.

If consumers feel they have been misled into using dangerous products or if they are found to have sustained an injury from using products such as bandages, many more lawsuits may follow.

Related: How to Prove Fault in Personal Injury Case

Discuss Your Consumer Product Liability Case

If you have been injured or experienced an illness due to the failure of a consumer product, help is available. A personal injury attorney experienced in product liability can help you get compensation for the damage caused by a toxic or defective product.

Talk to TJ Grimaldi today. All consultations are free, so share your story and see if you have a case worth fighting for. Schedule your consultation or call 813-226-1023 now.

In the past few months, social media has been a big topic for lawmakers at state and federal levels. Legislators have been using words like “bans” and “restrictions” when discussing sites like Facebook and TikTok. But what does it really mean for social media users?

Are users about to lose access? To which platforms? And is it legal?

Can Kids Use Social Media In Florida?

On March 25, 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Bill HB3 which will ban children aged 14 and under from using social media. The bill requires social media platforms to use age verification on all accounts and terminate accounts of people 14 and under, per reporting by CNN.

The bill signed by DeSantis differs from the bill originally approved by Florida legislators on February 22, 2024. In that version of the bill, both Republicans and Democrats voted to restrict the use of social media for children aged 16 and under. That version of the bill went to DeSantis, and he vetoed it. DeSantis said he was worried the bill would face challenges in courts.

Based on DeSantis’ feedback, legislators updated the bill to change the age restriction from 16 to 14, and DeSantis signed it.

While the bill attempts to keep children off social media entirely, it would be difficult to officially ban children from using social media. The bill will limit children from creating their own accounts, but it would not necessarily prevent children from using accounts of people who meet the age requirements.

Related: If Facebook Removes Your Post, Is It Violating Your Freedom of Speech?

When Will the Law Go Into Effect?

The law has been signed, but it will not go into effect until January 2025.

The bill will likely face challenges in court before it officially goes into effect. Critics of the bill say it violates the First Amendment. A similar bill in Ohio was blocked after a federal judge issued an emergency order halting the law from going into effect, per CNN. It is possible that the courts could hold up Florida’s social media ban from going into effect in January.

The bill may also face other challenges. Some legal experts say the bill is too vague in its description of “social media.”

Related: Bans & Supreme Court Challenges: What’s Going on With Florida Laws and Social Media?

Which Social Media Companies Are Impacted?

The bill does not specifically refer to any social media company by name. Instead, it lists criteria to define platforms that the bill would impact.

The original version of the bill included fewer details about what constitutes a social media platform, while the new bill includes more defined criteria.

Under the new bill, social media platforms are described as sites that:

• Allow users to upload content or view the activity of other users
• Use an algorithm to analyze user data and select content for the user
• Use an infinite-scrolling feature
• Employ push notifications
• Display personal interactive metrics
• Feature autoplay on videos

The new bill also defines social media platforms as sites that have, “Ten percent or more of the daily active users who are younger than 16 years of age spend on average 2 hours per day or longer on the online forum, website, or application.”

Does the Ban Only Impact Florida?

Bill HB3 is a state law and will only be enforced by Florida courts. It is not a federal ban. The bill impacts users who are residents living in this state for more than six months of the year.

Similar bills have passed in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Ohio, and Utah, and many of those bills have been challenged by courts.

Is This Law the Same as the TikTok Ban?

The social media ban in Florida is different from the national TikTok ban that is being discussed by federal lawmakers.

On March 13, 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that could potentially lead to a national ban on TikTok, per CNN reporting. Unlike the Florida social media ban, this bill is not centered on protecting children from the harms of using social media. The bill, known as Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, is an act to protect national security.

Because TikTok is owned and controlled by the China-based company ByteDance, lawmakers have concerns about how user data is being used by the Chinese government. The bill says a national ban on TikTok will take place unless ByteDance sells its stake in the company.

For the bill to become a law, it must first be approved by the U.S. Senate and then by President Joe Biden.

If the bill becomes law, all TikTok users could lose access to the platform within six months.

Related: What to Ask During a Free Consultation with a Lawyer

Get Expert Legal Advice

New laws are always being added, and existing laws are always changing. If you are dealing with a legal matter, work with an experienced attorney aware of constantly changing legislation. Talk to an attorney who knows the laws and the best ways to navigate your unique case whether you are dealing with a civil case or a criminal charge.

For a free consultation to discuss the details of your case, talk to experienced attorney TJ Grimaldi. Schedule your consultation or call 813-226-1023 now.

Photo via: strawberrvy | Instagram  

When a large hole opens up in a plane midair, who is to blame?

Who will be held accountable for a recent mid-flight door plug blowout, and can a plane malfunction lead to criminal charges?

How Did a Hole Open Up in the Plane?

On January 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon, heading to Ontario, California, but the flight didn’t make it very far. The flight took off at 4:52 pm and landed back at the same airport at 5:30 pm.

Roughly six minutes into the flight, as the plane reached an altitude of around 16,000 feet, an incident occurred. A door plug panel in the fuselage blew out, leaving a gaping hole in the passenger area of the plane.

Passengers remained in their seats as the plane turned around and landed safely. Of the 171 passengers and six crew on the plane, no one was injured.

The plane, designed and manufactured by Boeing, was delivered to Alaska Airlines in October. The door plug design on the new plane was not uncommon. The door plug covers a gap which can be used for an exit door in some interior seat layouts.

While the door plug is not an unusual feature of the plane, in this case, it was defective.

An investigation found that the construction of the door plug was incorrect. The plane was delivered to the airline carrier without four bolts needed to keep the door in place, according to reporting by Bloomberg.

Related: What to Ask During a Free Consultation with a Lawyer

What Led to Two Other Boeing Plane Crashes?

The door plug blowout is not the first time Boeing has had major aircraft incidents.

In 2019, Boeing was forced to call for the grounding of their 737 Max planes after two of the aircrafts crashed, first in Indonesia and then in Ethiopia, killing a total of 346 people.

Boeing conducted an investigation and issued updates before the planes were allowed to go back in the air. The United States government, among other task forces, also conducted their own investigations.

It was discovered that Boeing did not adequately explain how a crucial new flight control system on the plane worked, per the New York Times. The new system and failure to understand it is what led to the two plane crashes.

After the report, the United States Justice Department got involved.

Boeing’s Deal with the US Justice Department

Boeing faced a criminal charge that claimed they defrauded the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The charges centered on two employees who withheld information from the FAA about changes made to software known as MCAS.

In 2021, the United States Justice Department, in the final days of the Trump administration, worked out a deal with Boeing.

Boeing agreed to pay more than $2.5 billion in a legal settlement related to the two crashes, as reported by the New York Times. As part of the deal, Boeing had to establish a $500 million fund to compensate the families of those who died, pay a fine of nearly $244 million, and pay $1.77 billion in compensation to airline customers who had travel disruptions due to the grounding of planes.

The deal also allowed Boeing to defer the case and avoid criminal charges if they did not commit any other wrongdoing within three years.

The Boeing door plug blowout occurred just two days before the expiration of the deferred prosecution agreement.

Where Does That Leave Boeing?

The FAA is investigating Boeing’s safety practices. On February 28, the FAA gave Boeing 90 days to put together a plan to improve their quality control.

In addition to the FAA’s investigation, Boeing may again face potential criminal charges.

Because the door plug blowout happened during the time period that Boeing was to avoid any other incidents, the Justice Department is now looking to see if their previous agreement still stands. The recent incident may be a breach of contract and have broken Boeing’s commitment needed to avoid legal action, according to reporting by Bloomberg.

The FFA investigation and potential criminal case aren’t the only legal issues facing Boeing.

On January 5, six passengers who were aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 when the door plug blew filed a class action lawsuit against Boeing. And, on February 23, three other passengers sued Boeing along with Alaska Airlines for $1 billion.

Related: What’s the Difference Between a Civil and Criminal Case? 

Get Answers to Your Legal Questions

Are you facing a civil or criminal case? Do you have questions about your case and need a plan to lead to the best possible outcome? TJ Grimaldi is here to help.

TJ Grimaldi is here to help you through a personal injury case, family law matter, criminal defense, and more. See how TJ Grimaldi can guide you through your legal matter. Schedule a free consultation. Request your consultation or call 813-226-1023 today.

Lawmakers in Florida are taking a stand against what they say is a harmful influence on children. A new law recently approved by the Florida House of Representatives attempts to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms.

What are the conditions of the bill, and does it have any chance of going into law?

A Bill to Ban Children from Social Media

Florida lawmakers said they were working to increase safety and protect the mental health of children when both Republicans and Democrats voted to pass House Bill 1 in the Florida House of Representatives.

The bill would forbid any child under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. Even if children have parental permission, they would still be banned from using social media.

The bill would also impact adults.

It would require all social media users to prove their ages and identities. All social media users would need to submit legal identification or use a facial recognition scan to open new accounts and confirm their identities for existing accounts, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. Under the bill, social media companies would be required to use a third-party program to verify age, and all of the information they collect would need to be immediately deleted upon verification.

Any social media account that does not meet the new age confirmation standards would be shut down.

Related: If Facebook Removes Your Post, Is It Violating Your Freedom of Speech

Which Social Media Sites Would Be Banned?

The bill does not clearly state what punishment social media sites might face if they fail to follow the guidelines of the new law. It also doesn’t clearly state which social media sites would be impacted.

The bill includes language that attempts to define a “social media platform.” The bill defines a social media platform as an online forum, website, or application that does all of the following:

• Allows the social media platform to track the activity of the account holder
• Allows an account holder to upload content or view the content or activity of other account holders
• Allows an account holder to interact with or track other account holders
• Utilizes addictive, harmful, or deceptive design features, or any other feature that is designed to cause an account holder to have an excessive or compulsive need to use or engage with the social media platform
• Allows the utilization of information derived from the social media platform’s tracking of the activity of an account holder to control or target at least part of the content offered to the account holder

The bill attempts to differentiate social media platforms from communication apps. It says the law excludes platforms in which the “predominant or exclusive function” is emailing, direct messaging, streaming licensed media, online shopping, gaming, photo editing, and more.

Related: What to Ask During a Free Consultation with a Lawyer

Will the Law Stand?

The lack of clarity over what constitutes a social media platform is just one of the problems with the bill.

Experts say it will be difficult to determine which sites fall into the category of a social media platform because the lines of applications are blurry. For example, Snapchat is primarily a messaging tool but it is often considered a social media site.

Another problem with the law is that it may violate the First Amendment.

Bob Corn-Revere, a 40-year lawyer on First Amendment rights, made a statement that said, “I’ve never seen a blanket ban on access to constitutionally protected speech like this ever upheld by a court.” He went on to say, “The state doesn’t just get to drop a curtain and say, ‘You can’t read anything unless we say you can.’”

Other states, including Utah, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Ohio, have tried to pass similar yet less restrictive bills. Those bills say kids under 16 are still able to use social media with parental permission. Even so, those bills have also not yet been signed into law. The bills have been either blocked by federal judges or delayed by lawmakers who are trying to make sure the bills won’t be challenged in the courts, per ABC News.

Related: Get Good Legal Representation by Asking This One Question

So, What’s the Status of the Bill?

On January 24, 2024, the bill was passed by the Florida House of Representatives with a vote of 106 to 13, with many Democrats joining the chamber’s Republican majority. The bill must pass the Florida Senate before it would arrive on the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

But the bill landing in front of DeSantis doesn’t mean it will go into law.

DeSantis has said he thinks the bill might be unconstitutional and suggested that it would need to change before it reaches his desk.

Then, even if the bill passes, it might be challenged in the courts.

Know Your Rights

The law is complex and complicated. If you have questions about whether your rights have been violated, talk to an experienced attorney right away. TJ Grimaldi is here to answer your questions, guide you through civil or criminal legal matters, and protect your rights. Schedule your consultation or call 813-226-1023 now.