Teenager Shot on East University Avenue
Update: July 16, 2023
Update: Sep 12, 2023
On July 18th, at approximately 3:18 pm, Gainesville police officers received calls reporting multiple gunshots in the area of 2600 East University Avenue. The 14 year old victim stated he was traveling Eastbound in a car on East University Avenue when a man came out of his house and started shooting. He sustained two gunshot wounds: one to the elbow and another to the leg. The victim was dropped off at the Verdant Cove apartments and was later picked up by EMS and transported to Shands.
The vehicle the victim was in was found on the Southside of Verdant Cove apartments. It was described as having at least four impact points with the front and back windshields being shot out. Two gunshots hit the rear door, while the other two took out the front and back windshields.
Not much information on the suspect is provided. Only that he was a Black man around 16 or 17 years of age wearing dark gray sweatpants.
On July 25, an incident report was retrieved. It reveals the victim was shot with a semi-automatic handgun. The crime was labeled as an attempted homicide indicating the victim survived. As of this writing the status of the case is open.
Update 2: On Sep 12, an arrest report on this incident was received. It shows that a 17-year-old, Kemari Leon Thomas, was arrested at night on the same day he committed the crime. It also reveals that there was a 2nd victim who was grazed in the head. He was later charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and shooting into a vehicle after being positively identified by a witness.
GPD Audio:
Source: Broadcastify
1. Keep in mind a lot of this audio quality is poor and there may be mistakes. I've put in codes to flag possible inaccuracies:
(GARBLED): I cannot make the audio out.
(?): I have an idea of what they're saying but have doubts.
2. A lot of audio contains police code. Police code will be marked in bold.
3. I’ve done my best to match all the voices to numbers but do keep in mind the numbers associated with the speakers may be incorrect at times
Disclaimer: Audio that references incidents other than the shooting has not been transcribed and is disregarded from this transcript.
Audio File 1: 3:07 pm - 3:37 pm
15:30 Speaker 1: Tower 8 Se 26th Terrace. Heard five shots and then saw a gray hatchback car leaving the area. Sounded like it came in the area of the U hall.
17:00 Lifeline Bot: Rescue 35 engine 60. Shooting. Se 10th Place and SE 43rd Street. (GARBLED) Verdant Cove Apartments.
17:18 Speaker 1: 11-30 units 10-14.
17:21 Speaker 2: 10-4.
17:28 Speaker 1: (GARBLED) getting a 35 at cove possibly related.
18:06 Lifeline Bot: Rescue 35 engine 60. Shooting. Se 10th Place and SE 43rd Street. Verdant Cove Apartments operate on Alpha 5. Rescue 35 engine 60. Shooting. Se 10th Place and SE 43rd Street. Verdant Cove Apartments operate on Alpha 5. 1523.
18:31 Speaker 1: Caller advised there was a male claiming to be shot, blood on the back of the pants. Someone helped him to the bus stop area.(?) Another caller said the victim is actually in front of her. He's a 15 year old male.
18:53 Speaker 2: Changing my call so 50 Charlie.(?) (GARBLED)
19:02 Speaker 1: (GARBLED) area they are not on scene yet.
19:05 Speaker 2: (GARBLED) We have no complainant reference that was on a scooter or anything.
19:46 Speaker 1: Per 43 their 35 coves advising, Bravo Mike, 20s 5 '8 (GARBLED) Shirt was dumped out of a vehicle in front of location by ten other juveniles. Cove is not actually where it occurred.
21:28 Speaker 3: This is 10-12 with a witness advising it was a green Kia Soul, No suspect description, and it was a four door. Several shots fired.
21:46 Speaker 3: Do you want me to drive out in front of Coves?
21:54 Speaker 2: No sir.
27:02 Speaker 1: Counties confirm(?) The 35 is ours, it occurred at 2801 East and they're requesting someone en route to Verdant.
27:12 Speaker 4: We've got entry and location has been confirmed that 2800 East location, or do you want me to send someone there?
27:26 Speaker 1: Message received. Trauma alert to Shands 14 year old male, multiple gunshot wounds.
27:52 Speaker 1: Advising he was walking down the street in front of 2800 East when it occurred. He was then picked up and dropped off in front of Verdant Cove.
28:19 Speaker 5: Right now we have shell casings and an incident location here so far. Just confirming ASO is out with our victim who is also injured, but he's at Verdant Cove? 10-4.
28:34 Speaker 1: He is currently trauma alert to Shands but yeah 10-4 he was located in front of Verdant Cove.
28:41 Speaker 5: 10-4 I'll send a unit to Verdant Coves to meet him, I'll send one to the hospital, and we'll hold the scene down here. We'll be on traffic.
28:54 Speaker 3: (GARBLED) and then go to Verdant Cove.
28:58 Speaker 5: We're gonna be at the crime scene. 109 SE 26th Terrace.
29:16 Speaker 6: Show me out at 2800 East and I'll (GARBLED) this area for a crime scene.
Audio File 2: 3:37 pm - 4:07 pm
01:03 Speaker 5: Units advised that ASO has additional witnesses out at Verdant Cove.
01:10 Speaker 2: I'll be 51 to Verdant Cove.
01:16 Speaker 3: Sergeant (GARBLED) I'm calling you right now sir.
01:23 Speaker 1: They're asking I know they have the victim but they're checking on witnesses.
01:31 Speaker 3: And is he going to, Big Shands or paeds, Can you advise?
01:38 Speaker 7: (GARBLED) EMS is on our way to Verdant Cove right now.
01:45 Speaker 3: You want me to go to the hospital then?
02:01 Speaker 6: (GARBLED) confirming you're going to Verdant Cove and we got Delancey going to the hospital. 10-4.
02:06 Speaker 3: 10-4.
02:08 Speaker 6: Delancey give me updates as soon as you can.
02:12 Speaker 3: 10-4.
02:18 Speaker 4: (GARBLED) Checked in at the library, the librarian said she heard the gunshots to the West of the location here but close towards the road so that confirms your location.
02:55 Speaker 1: Just 43(?) advising they have the driver of the vehicle detained.
03:12 Speaker 2: (GARBLED) Engine 1 with the driver(?)
03:56 Speaker 3: He's on the phone right now.
04:00 Speaker 2: (GARBLED)
04:08 Speaker 3: On the phone with him right now.
04:16 Speaker 2: The driver they have detained the suspect or is she just the one that picked the victim up?
04:31 Speaker 1: As of right now she's a suspect reference driver of a signal 10 but not reference to, 37(?)
06:35 Speaker 2: Who's the deputy in charge out at Verdant Cove? And if so could I get a name and a phone number possibly?
06:49 Speaker 1: Channel 1 has three units on route out there. They're going 97. Do you want one of them to get (GARBLED) or do you want me to try and get a number from dispatch?
07:02 Speaker 6: I'm 97 at the hospital, victims not 97 yet.
08:38 Speaker 2: 11-14 97 Verdant Cove.
09:26 Speaker 1: The victim just left Verdant Cove they're 51 to you now.
09:29 Speaker 6: 10-4.
11:42 Speaker 2: Victims’ gonna be 14 years old. Stated that he was in the car traveling Eastbound and some gentlemen walked out of his house and started shooting at that's how they got hit. I'm walking right now to the car he was in to see if it has any impact points. He just left here a couple minutes ago, going to Shands.
12:28 Speaker 3: Did he advise what apartment the suspect possibly came out of?
12:44 Speaker 2: 54, no.
12:46 Speaker 3: 10-4
12:52 Speaker 2: He has two GSWs', one to the elbow and one to the leg. He was still talking when he left here.
12:56 Speaker 3: 10-4, thank you sir.
13:25 Speaker 2: Hey Steve, as soon as you walk in to the left the (GARBLED) car back here me and (GARBLED) come back here to check on it real quick if you don't mind just hanging out with the female (GARBLED) that they out with right now.
13:38 Speaker 3: 10-4.
16:18 Speaker 2: We at least have four impact points on this car and the back windshield is shot out.
16:28 Speaker 3: 10-4 is it dark tint?
16:35 Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say so.
16:39 Speaker 7: Yeah we've got the glass over here, how about the car is it a Kia Soul?
16:44 Speaker 2: I think it's the same one you called out earlier.
16:47 Speaker 7: Thank you, we'll just hold that down for forensics.
16:51 Speaker 2: For 42 update suspect description, Bravo Mike, probably between 16 and 17 years old wearing gray sweatpants. No further 43.
17:05 Speaker 1: Bravo Mike 16 or 17 wearing gray sweatpants.
17:14 Speaker 6: Did he say he came from around one of these apartments or by the park or.
17:24 Speaker 2: He said they were driving on 26th Terrace whenever it occurred and he was next to the apartments on the sidewalk area.
18:27 Speaker 1: (GARBLED) For 43 the passenger window was already smashed.
18:45 Speaker 3: Yeah, 10-4 I'm looking at two impact points on the rear door and the back windows shot out. There's also two impact points on the front windshield which I'm sure are the two impacts from the rear windshield being shot off.
19:06 Speaker 8: You need (GARBLED) to your location can you advise?
19:13 Speaker 2: That's gonna be up to you sir, I mean we might need one more here to stand by the car so we can finish talking to all the parties. That's all up to you sir.
19:37 Speaker 3: We got detectives that should either be at Verdant Cove or be there shortly and forensics is aware. We'll just let ASO know that even though it's signal 10 outta there jurisdiction we'll take it. Reference signal 35 as far as processing goes.
20:00 Speaker 2: Hey Steve are you 10-12 with anybody up there?
20:04 Speaker 3: I'm 10-12 with a female witness
20:28 Speaker 3: Vehicles gonna be on the Southside of Verdant Cove by building 425 apartment 269.
