Career Offender arrested for attempted homicide in September incident at Food Max

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Otis Anderson, 61, a Career Offender with 62 criminal convictions, was arrested early this morning and charged with attempted homicide in connection with a September incident at Food Max.

At about 3:02 a.m. on September 11, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a report of a person shot at Food Max (1304 E. University Ave.). The officer reported that the victim had a single gunshot wound to his stomach; he was transported to an emergency room with life-threatening injuries but was expected to survive.

The victim said “Otis” had shot him; the officer learned that “Otis” has one leg and was familiar with Anderson, who uses a prosthetic leg.

Video surveillance showed Anderson and the victim in a physical fight in front of the store; the victim reportedly kicked Anderson three separate times, and Anderson can be seen shooting at the victim. The victim reportedly ran away, and Anderson allegedly chased him around the back of the building before returning to the front and leaving on a bicycle. The officer reported that officers had recently made contact with Anderson wearing the same t-shirt and riding the same bike shown in the surveillance video.

The officer interviewed the victim on September 19, and he reportedly made a positive identification of Anderson as the person who shot him. He said that during their argument, he saw Anderson reach into his shorts, so he kicked him; he said Anderson then produced a “wallet” gun and fired at him three or four times as he fled, with one bullet hitting him in the stomach.

The victim, Anthony Mungin, was arrested on November 5 and charged with abusing a disabled adult for “stomp-kicking” Anderson. Mungin’s arrest report, although written by the same officer who wrote Anderson’s arrest report, did not mention that Mungin was shot during the incident.

Mungin reportedly told the officer that he kicked Anderson because he believed he was reaching for a gun. The officer reported in Mungin’s arrest report that it was clear in the video that Mungin attacked the victim two separate times “while showing no sense of urgency that he was in any danger prior to and during” the attack. Mungin’s case is still pending.

Anderson has been charged with attempted homicide and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has 32 felony convictions (14 violent) and 30 misdemeanor convictions (five violent). He has served 10 state prison sentences, with his most recent release in February 2023. According to his First Appearance Order, he is a designated Career Offender. Judge Adam Lee ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail.

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.