Arrests made in Thanksgiving Day shooting

• 

• 

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Michael Anthony Asbell, Jr., 22, and and Joseph Garner Miles, 23, were arrested this morning on charges of attempted homicide without premeditation related to a Thanksgiving Day shooting. Asbell is believed to have shot the victim, while Miles allegedly drove Asbell from the scene, which would make him an accessory after the fact to the attempted murder.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a call of a person shot at 10:21 p.m. on Thanksgiving and found a 24-year-old male victim who had been shot in the abdomen. At the time of the arrest, the victim was in surgery for his injuries.

According to the arrest report’s account of the various stories told by witnesses, Miles had gone to get a plate of food from someone (the witness) in the 900 block of SW 62nd Terrace and was standing outside talking to her while Asbell was in the passenger seat of Miles’ car, a silver Camry. While they were talking, an SUV pulled alongside Miles’ car, and the victim got out and asked the witness who she was talking to. Miles said that he received a text message at that time, so he leaned into the car to check his phone and saw someone walking around the hood of his car. Miles said that when he stood back up, that person hit him, and they ended up fighting. Miles also said that Asbell had gotten out of the car to try to break up the fight, but before Asbell could get around the car, he heard a gunshot. Miles’ injuries were consistent with his account that he had been fighting.

Miles and Asbell then jumped into the car and drove away. The witness told deputies that the man who had gotten out of the SUV and allegedly hit Miles had been shot in the abdomen, but she couldn’t describe the shooter. Post Miranda, Miles told deputies that he wasn’t sure where the gunshot came from, so he ducked, pushed off the victim, got in his car, and left. Miles said he was with his godbrother, Asbell, throughout the incident.

Witnesses told deputies that Miles was the driver of the vehicle, and deputies found that Miles had a vehicle matching the description of the Camry, registered to him at an address in Village Green Apartments. Deputies intercepted the Camry as it arrived at the apartment complex. When he saw the deputy, Asbell ran into an apartment, and Miles was detained. Asbell later came out of the apartment and was detained.

When Asbell was interviewed, he reportedly denied knowing anything about the incident, claiming that he was at Miles’ sister’s residence in Majestic Oaks at the time. He reportedly said he didn’t know the witness or the victim and that Miles had come back to Majestic Oaks after the incident and picked him up. He said that when he saw the deputy as they arrived at Village Green, he asked Miles what he should do because he has an outstanding warrant for failing to appear at a court date for a traffic case that is scheduled for a jury trial. Asbell said Miles agreed that he should run, so he ran into Miles’ mother’s apartment. He later decided not to run and came out of the apartment without incident.

Asbell reportedly did not agree to a gun shot residue test and reportedly told deputies that he shouldn’t go to jail because the victim was trying to kill his “brother” and that he didn’t have anyone else since he lost both his parents earlier this year. Asbell was also reportedly concerned about Miles, asking if Miles would get to go home if he took the charges for what happened. Asbell later allegedly said he had shot the victim in the abdomen because he had a feeling something was about to “go wrong.” When asked whose gun it was, Asbell reportedly sighed and said he didn’t want to talk any more.

A search warrant was executed at the apartment Asbell fled into, and a firearm was recovered.