"You have my attention": Florida AG vows crackdown on 'teen takeover' organizers
WINK News Digital Team
•6/3/2026
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier says his office is developing a plan to investigate and prosecute those responsible for organizing so-called "teen takeover" events.
In a post on X, Uthmeier wrote, "Whoever is organizing these 'teen takeovers,' congrats: you have my attention," adding that Statewide Prosecutors are working on a strategy to hold organizers accountable.
Whoever is organizing these “teen takeovers,” congrats: you have my attention.
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) June 2, 2026
This behavior is unacceptable, and I’m having our Statewide Prosecutors develop a plan to investigate and prosecute those who are responsible for these events.
Stay tuned. More to come. https://t.co/47nYSKBthP
The announcement comes after a recent teen takeover in Clearwater Beach turned violent. A 17-year-old boy was injured in a shooting after fights broke out during a packed event at Florida's Clearwater Beach on Sunday, police said.
The teen suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and several people were detained. After the shooting, officers responded to "other reports of large crowds that had gathered in other locations and were creating a disturbance” and began limiting access to the affected areas of the beach.
There have been several other 'teen takeover' events reported across the country in recent weeks, from Chicago to Washington, D.C.
Uthmeier said additional details on the state's response to these events will be announced later.