Gainesville man arrested for carrying holstered pistol on Santa Fe College campus
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jeffrey A. Griffith, 69, was arrested yesterday after a passerby reported that a man was carrying a weapon near the athletic fields on the northwest campus of Santa Fe College.
At about 1:55 p.m. on February 28, a Santa Fe College Police Department officer was flagged down by a citizen who said there was a man with a firearm on campus; officers approached the man, later identified as Griffith, and they reported that he had a holster on his hip that held a Glock 22 loaded with 15 rounds.
When asked whether he was aware that it is illegal to carry a weapon on school grounds, Griffith reportedly said he was not aware of that.
Griffith has been charged with carrying a firearm on school grounds, a felony. He has no local criminal history, and Judge Jonathan Ramsey ordered him released on his own recognizance.
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.
OMG! This cop needs some common sense.
He could have had the guy go store the gun in his car where it would be fine to do so. He could have completed a sworn complaint against the guy and let the SAO review the charge later. Nonetheless the law exists that you cannot personally carry concealed or open on any college campus in Florida. Part of the problem is gun owners are no longer required to attend a ccw class where these things are explained to you. Ignorance is not an excuse for not knowing the law.
Yes, he does. This was not a felony. It’s a misdemeanor.
Next time you hear Desantis and the Florida GOP talk about “Free Florida,” remind them of all the locations in the state where they’ve suspended the Second Amendment.
Open carry? More like showboating to me. Carrying concealed (not on school; campuses) makes more sense from a tactical approach. I guess he thought he would be a ‘big man on campus’.
I agree. Open carry is problematic, and ‘showboating’ is an excellent descriptor. The bad guys will know who is armed. The tactical advantage of concealment is lost. I also agree that ignorance is no excuse. Those that carry without training and education may inadvertently break the law.
This whole incident should have been avoided. Of course the cop may have used some better judgement, but at the end of the day Chapter 790 is pretty clear about guns on school and college property so this guy really does not have a valid excuse. The cop is only doing his job and I would expect that he treats anyone in this situation equally. This is what can unfortunely happen when one chooses to carry and does not take the time to learn and understand the law.
Ironic how our nation has for literal centuries embraced the right to bear arms, but can’t cope with legal gun owners straying onto the various safe spaces, whether community colleges or political rallies or courthouses or whatever venue.
Whose is the real threat?? The world wonders.
A Cop so concerned he over reacts arresting someone who could have been issued a summons and a Judge so unimpressed with Police Charges he Asks No Bail. When will we stop chasing fake valor
In Florida, a concealed weapon permit holder who accidentally brings a concealed firearm onto school grounds (elementary, secondary, or college) likely commits a second-degree misdemeanor. This is punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, even if it was a mistake or unintentional violation. This is not a felony charge, ignorant cop.
You must have missed the fact he was not concealing the firearm.