Gainesville man charged with making threats on playground after multiple callers reported seeing a gun in his backpack

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jeremiah Lamar Givens, 25, was arrested yesterday after allegedly threatening a man on the Majestic Oaks playground while he had an “AK-like” pistol sticking out of a backpack and was “clutching” a second pistol in his waistband.

At about 7:13 p.m. on April 6, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of an armed disturbance at the playground at Majestic Oaks (5800 SW 20th Avenue). The victim told deputies that a black male wearing camo overalls had walked up to him and accused him of threatening his children; the suspect reportedly had an “AK-like” pistol sticking out of his backpack, and as the argument escalated, he allegedly pulled down his overalls to reveal another pistol in his waistband. The victim said the suspect was “clutching” his pistol “aggressively” in his waistband, and he believed the suspect would have shot him if children had not been on the playground.

Multiple witnesses reportedly called 911 to report a suspect with a gun sticking out of a backpack.

A deputy saw a man walking through the breezeway of Building N and then lost sight of him; a different deputy made contact with Givens near Building L, which is where Givens lives. Givens did not have a backpack when he spoke with the deputy.

A deputy noted that Building N is directly east of the playground, and the route Givens took to Building L went “hundreds of yards around and behind buildings.” The deputy also noted that deputies were in front of Building L at the time Givens walked through the breezeway of Building N.

Givens reportedly said his children told him that someone had threatened them at the playground, so he went to the playground to talk to the person who had threatened his children; he said he did not have a gun and did not threaten anybody.

A search incident to arrest did not produce any weapons.

Givens has been charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony. He has three felony convictions (non-violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent), and he has a warrant out of Duval County for a traffic offense. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000.

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.