Gainesville man arrested for pointing gun at neighbor’s guest during dispute about loud music

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Stephen Christopher Blaum, 29, was arrested last night after allegedly pointing a gun at a neighbor’s guest during a dispute over loud music.

A Gainesville Police Department officer reported that at about 11:13 p.m. on February 24, the victim was listening to music at his friend’s apartment at Hamlet Cove Apartments (3010 SW 23rd Terrace) when Blaum started banging on the door and demanding that they turn down the music. While Blaum was banging on the door, the door popped open, and Blaum reportedly began shouting directly at the victim and his friend, telling them to turn the music down. When the victim and his friend refused to turn down the music, Blaum allegedly said he was going to grab something and come back, and then he left.

The victim said he grabbed a knife out of fear and then closed the door to the apartment. A few minutes later, he said, he put the knife down and went outside, where he saw Blaum standing at the threshold of his own apartment, holding a handgun; he said Blaum racked the handgun and pointed it directly at him, causing him to fear for his life and retreat. The victim said he was standing about five feet from Blaum when Blaum pointed the gun at him.

The officer reported that he made contact with Blaum inside his own apartment. Post Miranda, Blaum said he was banging on the door to complain about the loud music when the door popped open and he shouted at the victim and the other occupants to turn down the music before walking away. He said that when he was back inside his own apartment, he saw a light shining through his apartment window, which caused him to grab his handgun and go outside to confront the victim. He said he kept the handgun pointed up in the air while speaking to the victim and never pointed it directly at the victim. He also said he never racked the gun to load a round in the chamber while speaking to the victim.

An employee of the apartment complex reportedly said that Blaum had called her to say that if she did not get involved and make sure the music was turned down, he would end up shooting whoever was inside that apartment.

Blaum reportedly gave consent to search his apartment, and the search reportedly produced a handgun with the magazine ejected and no round in the chamber.

Blaum has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has no criminal history, and Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $25,000 and ordered him to maintain an alternate residence and possess no weapons.

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.