Man Arrested for Stalking Near UF
Gainesville Police Department officers arrested Ruixin Zhang, 23, last week and charged him with stalking.
According to the arrest report, security officers at Butler Plaza shopping center contacted police on the victim’s behalf, reporting that Zhang was following her throughout a store. A few minutes later the victim contacted police to make a report.
The victim told police that Zhang had stalked her at a CVS near the University of Florida (UF) campus on November 5, 2024. Zhang reportedly attempted to record the victim without her knowledge.
The victim said she ran into Zhang again at Publix on November 22, 2024. Zhang reportedly stared at the victim and followed her around the store.
The victim said that Zhang stalked her again when she was going out to eat at The Swamp on May 5, 2024. Zhang reportedly walked by the restaurant multiple times while staring at the victim.
Zhang was reportedly wearing the same clothing during all the stalking incidents.
The victim told police she posted a warning post about Zhang on Yik-Yak. She said a girl told her that she saw Zhang following her and posted a picture of him outside her apartment.
GPD Officer Rebecca White contacted Zhang and told him what she was told by the victim. Zhang reportedly said, “I’m not following anyone today,” and “stalking and following are not the same.” Zhang admitted to taking photos but not of any specific people.
Zhang reportedly "explained that he doesn't go out on the streets specifically to follow girls but if he sees a pretty girl, he will take videos of them to look at later. He said that he's 'not stalking, I don't think. Just people I want to say hi to but then don't.'"
GPD Officer Aldo Mesa asked Zhang to show the pictures on his phone, and he initially agreed.
White reported that she could see several people in the thumbnails but that Zhang changed his mind and decided not to consent to a search.
White reported, “I informed [Zhang] that I was taking possession of his cell phone, and he objected. He told me, ‘I don't think you can take that without a…’ (He couldn’t think of the word), so I offered, ‘Without a warrant?’ He said yes. I told him that I wasn't going through it, that I was putting it in ‘airplane mode,’ and that detectives would apply for a warrant. [Zhang] was visibly shaking while we were talking to him and denied 'stalking' anyone several times.”
Zhang is a grad student at UF, according to his first appearance order.
Zhang is being held in the Alachua County Jail on a $75,000 bond.
