Gainesville woman arrested for pepper-spraying store employees

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Maya Imani Johnson, 21, an after-school employee at Rawlings Elementary, was arrested yesterday for allegedly pepper-spraying employees at a local store.

At about 7:40 p.m. on March 10, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a store in the 2600 block of NW 13th Street, where the first victim said she was assisting a customer when Johnson entered the store, walked around, and then approached her and started an argument; the victim said that she and Johnson have had issues in the past.

The second victim heard the argument and stood between Johnson and the first victim in an attempt to de-escalate the argument, and the first victim reportedly told Johnson to leave “numerous” times. Johnson reportedly took a canister of pepper spray from her pocket while continuing to yell at the first victim.

The two victims eventually escorted Johnson to the front of the store; Johnson allegedly walked outside, turned and sprayed both of the victims as the door was closing, and left the property. The first victim was reportedly sprayed in the face and arm, and the second victim was sprayed in the face.

The customer reportedly told the officer that the first victim had been assisting her when Johnson approached the first victim and started yelling at her; the customer said she didn’t know why Johnson was yelling, and she thought she was an impatient customer. The customer said she saw pepper spray in Johnson’s hand, but she stayed behind when the two victims walked to the front of the store with Johnson.

The officer reported that surveillance video showed Johnson approaching the first victim and the customer, and Johnson could be seen holding a black object in her hand. The video also reportedly shows Johnson spraying both victims after she walked out the front door.

Post Miranda, Johnson reportedly said that she and the first victim have had issues in the past, and she happened to see the first victim while shopping at the store. She said she asked the first victim if she was okay, and they began to argue. She said the first victim threatened numerous times to “beat” her, so she felt threatened and armed herself with the pepper spray when she was outside the store. She reportedly admitted to pepper-spraying the victims and said she “just maced them.” When the officer asked why she didn’t just walk to her car, she reportedly said she just wasn’t thinking. She reportedly gave the pepper spray to the officer, and he noted that it was in a black canister.

The two victims were treated at the scene by EMS.

A note on Johnson’s First Appearance Order states that allegations were made in court that Johnson’s family and friends had called and texted the first victim all night with threats.

Johnson has been charged with battery. She has no criminal history, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $5,000.

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.