Gainesville man arrested for threatening to kill wife and battering teenagers

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jerome Jermaine Chatmon, 33, was arrested yesterday and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of child abuse after allegedly threatening to kill his wife and battering two teenagers.

At about 6:15 p.m., Chatmon was reportedly at his Madison Pointe apartment (2701 NW 23rd Blvd) with three children while his wife was outside; he became angry with one of the teenagers, and the other two children came out of their rooms and reportedly saw that Chatmon had the teenager in a “headlock.” The other two children tried to get Chatmon to let go, and Chatmon allegedly slammed the teenager to the ground.

When another teenager reportedly mocked Chatmon for fighting with teenagers, he allegedly pushed and slammed the second teenager to the ground.

When Chatmon’s wife returned, the children reportedly told her what had happened, and she told them to get in her car for safety; she called the father of two of the children, and he arrived a short time later. Chatmon reportedly began arguing with both his wife and the children’s father in the parking lot, and the children moved to the children’s father’s vehicle.

Chatmon allegedly went to his car and took out a handgun, then walked toward his wife, saying, “I’m ready to die; you can die, too.” She reportedly walked away, and he allegedly pointed the gun in the air and cocked it, saying, “I’m ready to die, and you can die, too.” He allegedly walked up to the victim’s back and held the gun next to her head, pointed up. She was afraid for her life and went to her car; the children’s father reportedly drove away with the three children when he saw the gun.

The responding Gainesville Police Department officer made contact with Chatmon outside the apartment and detained him; when the officer asked whether he had a gun, he reportedly said there was a gun in a safe in his vehicle.

Post Miranda, Chatmon reportedly did not want to answer any questions.

The officer asked for consent to search the safe for the gun, but Chatmon reportedly denied consent, and the officer applied for a search warrant.

Four of the people present reportedly told the officer that they saw Chatmon with a gun in his hand, pointed up, as he followed his wife.

Chatmon has no criminal convictions, but he was arrested for domestic battery in January 2024, and the charges were later dropped. Judge Sheree Lancaster ordered him held without bail on the new charges.

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.