18-year-old on probation charged with attempted homicide for March 26 shooting

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Emanuel Leon Baker III, 18, was arrested last night and charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting a man at 1024 W. University Avenue on March 26. Baker is on probation after accepting a plea deal for cashing fraudulent checks in November 2022 and will also be charged with violation of probation.

Baker is accused of shooting the victim in the chest with a .45 caliber handgun at about 3 a.m. on March 26; according to the arrest affidavit, the victim remains in serious condition.

Surveillance video from the Chevron gas station reportedly captured the entire incident; a juvenile who was with Baker reportedly walked up to the victim in a crowd and forcefully bumped him, then threw his Checkers cup at the victim. As the victim staggered backward and the crowd scattered, Baker allegedly pulled a handgun from his waistband and shot the victim. Baker and the juvenile then fled north on NW 11th Street.

Gainesville Police Department officers made contact with the two teens as they fled toward Baker’s vehicle and reportedly found a 9mm handgun in the juvenile’s pants. A 9mm handgun was also reportedly found in the victim’s waistband.

Both teens reportedly denied shooting the victim. A gunshot residue test was negative for the juvenile but positive for Baker.

After Baker’s vehicle was towed from the parking lot, officers reportedly recanvassed the parking lot and found a .45 caliber handgun on the ground where the vehicle had been parked.

The surveillance video reportedly showed that the shooter had reflective writing down the left arm of his hoodie, and the affidavit states that nobody else in the crowd had that distinctive reflective marking. Baker was reportedly wearing a hoodie with “New Balance” written down the left arm when officers made contact with him. Surveillance video from the nearby Checkers, just before the shooting, also reportedly showed Baker wearing the same hoodie and repeatedly reaching toward his waistband.

Post Miranda, Baker reportedly said he heard the gunshot and ran because he was scared. He also reportedly said the gunshot residue was from shooting an AR-15 with his stepfather earlier in the day.

Post Miranda, the juvenile reportedly said he and Baker had an argument with the victim earlier in the evening when they were downtown.

Baker was arrested in November 2022 for cashing fraudulent checks and pushing a clerk who became suspicious when they returned to try to cash more checks at the same location. On February 14, Baker entered a plea of nolo contendere to two counts of cashing a fraudulent check, engaging in a scheme to defraud, and simple battery in exchange for 3 years of probation and restitution of $5,135.19; adjudication of guilt was withheld as part of the deal.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail for the homicide charge at $1,000,000, the amount recommended in the arrest warrant signed by Judge David Kreider.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.