Gainesville man charged with pointing AR-15 at guests

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alexander Miles Silver, 37, was arrested last night after allegedly pointing an AR-15 at guests in his home and also punching them, knocking one of them unconscious.

At about 10 p.m. on September 1, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a home in the Midtown area, where the victims said they had been drinking and socializing at Silver’s home when Silver and his girlfriend began arguing loudly and Silver became “very upset.”

The victims said that at one point, Silver walked into his room, screaming in anger, and came out with an AR-15-style rifle. Silver allegedly pointed the rifle at the two victims aggressively and screamed at them; one victim said he grabbed the barrel of the rifle to turn it away from the other people in the room, and the two victims disarmed Silver after a struggle.

The victims said the physical fight continued, with Silver punching one victim in the right eye, knocking him unconscious, and punching the other victim in the face, leading to cuts and swelling on his face. All three men were reportedly bleeding from the nose and mouth, and Silver’s right hand was reportedly “very swollen”; the officer noted that Silver is right-handed.

The victims said they disengaged from the fight and left the home, but Silver followed them and again pointed the rifle at them as they ran away to call 911.

Silver’s girlfriend reportedly acknowledged that the two victims were in the house with her and Silver, “having a party.”

Before acknowledging his Miranda rights, Silver reportedly said he didn’t know the victims, but they approached him outside and said they were interested in ARs, so he offered to show them his and proceeded to do that. He said one of them grabbed the barrel while he was showing them the gun, but he was able to get the gun away from the man, and then he was “beat up.”

Post Miranda, Silver reportedly declined to make any statements.

Silver has been charged with two counts of battery and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent), and Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $25,000.

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.