Teen Charged for Threatening Commissioner over Stadium Deal

A 17-year-old in Pinellas County, Florida, has been charged with making a written threat to kill County Commissioner Chris Latvala. The threat was made on the social media platform X, in response to a post about the controversial new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays, where the teen wrote about planning to harm Latvala. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office initiated an investigation after Latvala reported the threat, leading to the arrest after the teen turned himself in at the Juvenile Assessment Center. The teenager is charged with one count of written threats to kill, and there is ongoing scrutiny over whether he will be charged as a juvenile or an adult. The incident highlights the tensions surrounding the stadium development, which has faced setbacks due to natural disasters and logistical issues. Commissioner Latvala had previously expressed opposition to aspects of the stadium deal, adding context to the targeted threat.