If black lives matter why is this young man on the street?

14-year-old with 14 prior arrests caught with loaded gun

Posted: Jan 14, 2015 12:36 PM PSTUpdated: Jan 14, 2015 6:42 PM PST

By: Evan Axelbank, 

 

TAMPA (FOX 13) -

Hillsborough County deputies say they nearly had to shoot a 14-year-old who was reaching into his waistband.

Deputies say that a search revealed Dallas Robinson was carrying a gun and two magazines of hollow-point bullets.

"This was a kid that was fully-loaded, ready to go," said HCSO spokesman Larry McKinnon.

They also found that he has a rap sheet that goes back to when he was 10.

Just after midnight in Tampa, near the intersection of St. James and 127th Ave., a deputy stopped Robinson because his bike didn't have a headlight.

They say that Robinson ran and that the deputy struggled with him before Robinson reached for his waistband.

"The only reason this deputy believes that this kid didn't get the gun and shoot him was because he got the draw on him first," McKinnon said. "Fortunately, we are not at a funeral today, either this kid's or our law enforcement deputy's."

Robinson has fourteen priors starting in 2010 when he was ten.

He has faced charges of carrying a concealed firearm, armed robbery and possession of drugs.

"He needs to be in a program," said his grandfather, who didn't want us to identify him.

The grandfather says their family has no idea why the juvenile justice system has let Robinson go.

As recently as 11 days ago, they say he was brought home after a stint in a juvenile assessment center for violating probation for a previous weapons charge.

"They don't come back and check on the boy," said the grandfather. "Somebody comes out one time, as soon as they leave, he leaves."

His grandfather says the boy's mother is looking after younger children, and has tried to keep the teen in check. But she says he sneaks out through windows even after doors are padlocked.

The grandfather believes Robinson carries guns to protect himself from other people he's gotten violent with.

"He needs to be in a program. That way we know where he is. He could get killed or kill somebody. Get hurt."

The state's Department of Juvenile Justice says they can't comment on individual cases, on why he has been in and out of the system so many times.

However, they say there are many other entities that have input as to how troubled teens are cared for.

USF criminal justice professor Dr. Kathleen Heide says DJJ's resources are often too thin and their programs too limited.

"Unfortunately, Florida has not provided enough for these kinds of situations," she said.

Family says Hillsborough County Schools had him in a home detention program after her flunked out of 8th grade.

Hillsborough County Deputies say they are hoping to be able to charge Robinson as an adult.