City and County Face Several Shootings Throughout July
Throughout July there were several shooting incidents in the City of Gainesville and Alachua County.
Firehouse Subs Police Shooting:
On July 2, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) received 911 calls about a hostage situation.
According to the police report, the victim, Tyrese Jones, 26, and several of their co-workers at Firehouse Subs went to Blue Springs for a work trip, utilizing two vehicles for travel.
On their way to the springs, the victim called the driver of the other vehicle requesting to pull over because her tires were low. Once parked, Jones, who was in the other vehicle, approached the victim’s vehicle advising the people he was traveling with were “acting weird [and] setting him up.”
Jones sat down in the passenger seat of the victim’s vehicle and noticed another car pull onto the opposite of the roadway. Jones then reportedly pulled a handgun out of his waistband and pointed in front of the victim’s face towards the other vehicle before telling the victim to drive.
Jones reportedly waved the gun around in the victim’s direction as he forced her to drive away. Jones told the victim she was “setting him up” and said he would kill her if the driver’s of the other vehicle didn’t. This went on for roughly four hours with Jones ordering the victim to drive to certain places in fear of a “set up.” They eventually ended up back where they started their trip, Firehouse Subs, where the victim was able to call 911.
According to an ACSO press release, Jones pulled a gun on a responding deputy, causing the deputy to discharge his service weapon and shoot Jones.
Jones “was struck and sustained what appeared to be a minor injury,” according to the press release.
Jones is being held in the Alachua County Jail without bond facing charges of kidnapping, obstruction of justice and aggravated assault.
Cedar Grove Shooting:
On July 2, around 11 pm, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers responded to a shooting in Cedar Grove. Officers arrived on the scene to find the victim with a gunshot wound to the right shoulder. The victim advised that Kelvin Baker, 18, shot him, according to the police report.
The victim told police he “has known Baker for years and didn’t know why he would shoot him.”
Officers located Baker at his residence and arrested him.
Baker denied committing the shooting and told police he heard three gunshots when he was on his front porch before going inside. When an officer asked if he owned any firearms, Baker responded that there haven’t been any firearms in the house since his brother was arrested.
Police reportedly found ammo boxes in Baker’s room and a firearm under a vehicle outside the residence. When confronted, Baker told police that all the weapons and ammo belonged to his brother, who has been in prison for two years.
While in the hospital, the victim told police he was walking along the road when he saw Baker lift his arm up before feeling a gunshot hit his shoulder.
Baker is facing attempted murder charges and being held in the Alachua County Jail on a $250,000 bond.
1st St. Shooting:
On July 5, GPD announced on their Facebook account that a 17-year-old was shot at 2:30 a.m. in the area of 50 SW 1st St. The post says there were “large crowds downtown” and that officers could hear gunshots while working the shooting.
As of this writing, GPD hasn’t announced any more details on the incident.
Highland Court Manor Shooting:
On July 20, GPD responded to 3000 NE 15th St. in the neighborhood of Highland Court Manor after a 19 year old was shot, according to a Facebook post on the incident.
The post states the investigation is active and no further announcements have been made.
Tower Oaks Shooting:
On July 28, ACSO announced on their Facebook page that deputies were on the scene in the Tower Oaks neighborhood after a person was shot. They reported that no arrests have been made and there have been no further announcements.
9th St. Police Shooting:
ACSO published the following press release on the police shooting that took place on July 29:
“At approximately 7:49 a.m., Investigators with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Unit arrived at 102 NW 9th Terrace in Gainesville to serve a felony arrest warrant on 44-year-old Samuel Edgardo Rivera for possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Investigators had received information that Rivera was staying at the residence with his girlfriend.
Upon arrival, investigators contacted a resident who confirmed that Rivera and his girlfriend were inside the apartment. Deputies announced who they were and that they had an arrest warrant, issuing commands for Rivera to exit the apartment, but received no response. Deputies then entered the residence to locate and arrest Rivera.
When deputies reached a back bedroom, they again gave multiple commands for Rivera to come out. After several minutes, Rivera’s girlfriend exited the bedroom, but the door immediately closed behind her. Deputies reasonably believed Rivera remained inside. As they approached the closed door, a single gunshot was fired from inside the room in the direction of the deputies. At 8:17 a.m., a warrants supervisor notified ASO dispatch that shots had been fired.
Deputies withdrew from the apartment, established a secure perimeter, and requested additional law enforcement resources. Officers from the Gainesville Police Department, University of Florida Police Department, and multiple specialized units from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office—including SWAT, the Hostage Negotiations Team, and the Bomb Squad—responded to the scene.
Due to the shots being fired at Law Enforcement and the substantial risk to the public, multiple residents within the apartment building and adjacent commercial/residential structures were evacuated. Based upon the direct line of sight from the suspect’s location to University Avenue, the roadway was closed down as a protective precaution for passing motorists from the 800 block to the 1100 block.
Law Enforcement personnel, [including] a hostage negotiator from the Gainesville Police Department spent hours attempting to persuade Rivera to surrender peacefully. At the same time, members of the ACSO SWAT Team issued repeated commands via a public address system, informing Rivera that he was under arrest and instructing him to exit with his hands up. Despite these efforts, Rivera did not comply.
At 11:02 a.m., SWAT deployed a non-lethal chemical agent irritant into the apartment, which is designed to compel a barricaded suspect to surrender. Rivera responded by firing multiple gunshots through a side window toward deputies. Deputies again notified dispatch that shots were being fired by the suspect.
As additional canisters of chemical agent were deployed, a deputy reported that Rivera briefly exited the bedroom door into the living room while armed with a handgun before retreating back into the bedroom. Deputies continued to issue loud commands for him to drop the weapon. An additional Deputy radioed that Rivera appeared at a front window, pointing a handgun at deputies on scene. A member of the ACSO SWAT Team fired a single round, striking Rivera. Due to his injuries, Rivera died on scene.
As standard procedure following any deputy-involved shooting, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has been called in to conduct an independent investigation.
The deputy who discharged his service weapon has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the review.
The information provided in this release reflects our current understanding of the incident at this time and may be updated as the investigation progresses.”
Brooker Shooting:
On July 29, ACSO deputies responded to Brooker, near the Alachua - Bradford County border, in regards to a domestic shooting incident.
According to the arrest report, the victim told police that her family member, Darius Wilson, who she hadn’t seen in years, randomly entered her residence and began strangling her. Wilson reportedly took the victim to the floor while choking her, prompting another family member to intervene and push him off her. Wilson exited the residence and reportedly fired multiple shots towards the house on his way out.
Deputies observed six projectile impacts near the east-end of the residence and one near the victim’s bedroom. They additionally found 13 cartridges near where Wilson parked.
Deputies made contact with Wilson at his residence and arrested him.
Wilson is facing two counts of burglary, six counts of firing a weapon into a residential building and 12 counts of aggravated assault.
The State Attorney’s Office has filed a pretrial detention motion on Wilson to be heard by Judge Kristine Van Vorst on August 6.
