GPD investigating two shootings in large downtown gatherings; ASO also responded to large gatherings in Jonesville

Graphic courtesy Gainesville Police Department

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gainesville Police Department (GPD) is investigating two separate downtown shootings, with three people shot, that happened in the early morning hours of Monday, April 10, and Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies also responded to large numbers of cars that gathered in parking lots in Jonesville

One victim was shot in the area of 100 S. Main Street in Gainesville, and two people were shot in the area of 100 W. University Avenue; all three victims suffered non-life-threatening injuries. GPD does not believe that the shootings were related.

GPD officers were patrolling downtown in response to large crowds and ran toward the gunfire. In the subsequent chaos, a fourth victim was hit by a vehicle as people fled the area. That victim also sustained a non-life-threatening injury, and officers do not believe that person was involved in the shootings.

The GPD Investigations Bureau is currently investigating leads, interviewing witnesses, and filtering through all of the reports and statements. GPD issued the following statement: “We praise our officers and investigators that responded to these calls last night along with community members that assisted us in the investigation on scene and afterward.  We ask that anyone with information on either of the shootings please call our Criminal Investigations Bureau at 352-393-7700.”

Large crowds in Jonesville

Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies also responded to crowds in Jonesville last night. At about 7:20 p.m., calls were received about cars filling the parking lot of the Circle K; deputies asked the Circle K to shut down and directed traffic out of the parking lot. However, the cars simply moved over to other parking lots along Newberry Road; as deputies directed them out of one parking lot, they moved down to the next one. The area was reportedly clear by 9:20 p.m.

“Peaceful Sundays”

It is not unusual for large crowds to gather on Sundays in Gainesville, and the crowds on Easter tend to be larger than other Sundays. Last year, GPD released video of several incidents on Easter. This year, GPD brought in at least a dozen overtime officers in anticipation of large crowds.

While showing the video to the City Commission on May 5, 2022, Chief Lonnie Scott said, “It’s bedlam… the primary reason we show you that is just to show you that when I tell you that we’re getting to the point where we may not be able to control all the crowds, this is the evidence of it… I’ve never seen it at this level… A large part of that is we’re not just dealing with Gainesville folks; we’re dealing with people from all over the area.”

Scott told the commission, “Gainesville, quite frankly, has become the regional hub for folks in and around this area to come drink and hang out. They come here from as far south as Miami… We asked them why are you coming here from Palatka… and they said we can’t do this in Palatka. And that seemed to be a resounding theme to a lot of the folks coming here, that they can’t do what they do here in Palatka… They can’t drink openly in the parking lots like they do here. And that’s become a serious issue with us… In all candor, there’s only so much we can do with the limited personnel that we have.”

The Gainesville City Commission has discussed reinstating an ordinance prohibiting open containers on public property to give GPD a tool for responding to the crowds, but the most recent discussion about open containers ended in a stalemate.

Chief Scott told the City Commission on March 2, 2023, “For us, it just doesn’t seem to be a smart thing to mix people in cars, sitting in parking lots, and sitting on the side of a roadway with alcohol.” 

During general public comment in the June 7, 2021, City Commission Meeting, Armando Grundy-Gomes referred to these events “that were supposed to be peaceful on the weekends that have been a problem in our neighborhoods, especially within District 1. It seems to be known now as ‘shoot-‘em-up Sundays.'”

On April 6, 2023, the City Commission discussed adding more restrictions to the “Peaceful Sundays” events, such as requiring permits; Alachua Chronicle will have an upcoming story about that discussion. The events, which are usually held at T.B. McPherson Park, were “grandfathered” in and have not been subject to the requirements placed on other events held at City parks. Yesterday’s “Peaceful Sunday” event was reportedly moved to Jonesville Park, which may be related to the issues in Jonesville parking lots yesterday evening. Deputies did not report any incidents at Jonesville Park.

  • Common theme, “We can’t do there what we can get away with here.”

    Thank your local elected leadership for keeping the lights on.

  • Easy 2 Blame liberals.. because that’s easier than actually doing anything about guns.. yes it’s the guns.. over 65 percent of America 🇺🇸 wants new gun laws but the loudest minority and the NRA wants us to live in Gotham or the Wild West 🤔.. Guns kill more kids than Cars 🚗 now.. but yet Freedoms riiiiight.. the logic Makes sense if you applied 🤔 it across the board 🤔.. why outlaw Abortions because you know they’re gonna get them anyways.. Why get a license 🙄 2 drive.. People are gonna drive without them anyway 😒.. Statistics show deaths from guns went down considerably when Assault weapons were banned under Satan Reagan..imagine compromising with a room full of kids all screaming 😱 NOOOOOOOO

    • Imagine believing that criminals will follow laws regarding guns. Imagine believing that the constitution this country was founded on is irrelevant. Imagine believing that the clown show of deranged idiots running this country and our city know better. Imagine that grown men and women can’t figure out what sex they are.

      • Unfortunately, given the current state of this nation, don’t have to imagine – it’s reality.

      • Criminals also commit murder, so I guess that law is also useless.

        Do you understand that with America swimming in guns, they become cheap and easy for anyone down to the lowest common denominator teenage criminal wanna’ be to own?

    • State Legislature and Governor Desantis . Please add this rampant Crime Wave that the failed City of Gainesville’s Commission , Mayors ,Leaders and Management decisions on open container and extended Bar hours has caused to the list of failed decisions made. They have refused to reverse their reckless ordinances that have increased Murders , Robberies, Automobile death accidents and placed in peril the overall Safety for the law abiding Citizens of Alachua County. You are probably already aware ,but a little research will help you decision to Fire them all sooner than October 1st, 2023.

    • The only reason liberals think it’s easier to control guns than criminals is because they don’t let us just hang ’em or put ’em in front of a firing squad.

      You made a good reference though. Why ban guns if criminals can still get them?

      • Dude, the safest states are blue and the most dangerous are red. NYC and SF are among the safest of US cities. The problem isn’t defined by differing solutions, or we’d have it under control.

        • Maybe you should start some new affordable housing projects in some of those blue states. Word on the street is they’re in dire need for some.
          What they’re making on sales in S.F., you’re bound to make a pretty good profit.

      • What bothers me is that these people are so silly as to think criminals get their guns legally. More gun laws, more restrictive gun laws, will only affect law abiding citizens. By definition, criminals don’t obey laws. Duh.

    • You can pass all the gun laws your heart desires it’s not going to make a difference the reason being it’s already against the law for convicted felons to have guns yet you read every day that a convicted felons was arrested with a gun.
      So please explain to me how more laws will work

    • You want to talk statistics Drobama? Why don’t you get the statistics in Alachua County of how many black people have either been arrested for carrying a weapon being a felon and how many black people have either been arrested for shooting or killing someone in the last 3 years and that’ll tell you all you need to know. I read the news everyday and I can tell you without a doubt that blacks in this County are 99% of the reason for all the gun crime. I can promise you that 80% of them are convicted felons. It’s Nationwide not just here. People are getting tired of this shyt and I for one am not going to bite my tongue anymore.

      I’m still waiting for Alachua Chronicle to write the story of the 3 black juveniles want to be gang members that were arrested for slaughtering three teenagers. What happened to that article?

      • That slaughter happened in Marion.
        I will make note that your provided demographics represent the alleged shooters involved though.
        If I remember correctly, one of those individuals was a 12 year old.

        • He sure was 12, he was also in a gang or a want to be gang, where were the parents at? You don’t want your kid to be posted on mugshots raise them right and quit bitching when they get locked up for murder. They’re idiots absolute idiots. I read an article where they said they killed the three of them because they didn’t want to go to prison for life? And they actually thought they could get away with killing three people? And let’s not talk about my demographic I get up every day and I go to work and I pay taxes.

          • Don’t forget to add that they were all SUPPOSEDLY gang members! Those little white girls were no Angels at all!!! They was robbing and committing crimes!! Headed down the wrong path🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

          • What a stupid comment, so because those “little White girls” were “no angels” it was okay to murder them? Good thing it’s not “okay” to murder stupid people or you’d be gone gator.

      • Thanks for “not biting your tongue anymore.” Please list your name and address. We salute your bravery.

        • You can take this with a grain of salt but I’ll promise you that you don’t want those problems kenny boy.

      • FBI stats:
        “They” commit 72% of all crime in the USA.
        “They” commit 52% of all murders in the USA.
        “They” are only 13% of the population.

        These cold, hard, facts are often censored and/or ignored but they remain facts none the less.

    • Wow you really managed to cram in all the idiotic Reddit talking points. Where to start?

      “yes it’s the guns”- False

      “Guns kill more kids than Cars”- Also false, the BS you are referring too includes 18 and 19yo’s last I checked they are adults. Removing them from that statistic, guess what happens?

      ” why outlaw Abortions because you know they’re gonna get them anyways..”- Abortion is a states right issue now. Take it up with your Dem overlords for never passing legislation to protect abortion at the federal level.

      “Why get a license 2 drive.. People are gonna drive without them anyway”- We call those people criminals. You know why? Because they break the law and don’t care what authority says.

      “Statistics show deaths from guns went down considerably when Assault weapons were banned under Satan Reagan” False, Reagans ban was strictly to remove arms from POC. You seem pretty racists.

      “imagine compromising with a room full of kids all screaming”- An appeal to emotion, no rational argument. Color me surprised.

      Also using emoji do not help your argument at all. If anything they make you look like an even bigger chucklehead.

    • You quote a false statistic that incldes 18-19 year olds as ‘children’. Please show me the ‘statistic’ where gun violence went down under the Busch assault weapon ban.

    • DroBama, you can personally make a difference! Please show your commitment by wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with “I am unarmed” and place signage on your property saying “This household has no weapons.” Lead by example!

  • Sounds like there were more knuckleheads out than eggheads for Easter.

  • Well, Lonnie… you wanted to be the regional authority figures for all things policing entails, so deal with it or resign. Citycomm, their just getting started and your vision of being Detroit or Chicago or Atlanta is unfortunately coming to our homes and streets. What now? You have squandered any hope of normalcy for this city and I wish each and every one of you would accept defeat and vacate your offices. It may even be two late for the state to clean up this mess. Go Gotham!

  • Naturally a culture raised by 95% Dems will call themselves “peaceful.” 👹🤡🤬🤪

  • I wouldn’t (and don’t) enter Gainesville east of 34th st, west of williston road, north of sw/e 16 blvd or south of n/e 16th street any day of the week between 7:30 pm and 7:30 am, any time of the year. Unfortunately, my taxes pay to support the police who do have to enter that zone and try (however ineffectually) to control it. It won’t improve until citizens who live there and businesses who business there complain loudly enough. In the meantime, it’s just gonna be an alcohol (or worse)-fueled mosh pit “abbandonate la speranza voi tutti che entrate.”

    • I can answer it for you, I was there getting gas before it was shut down. and you are correct. I was one of the only white people at Circle K.

      • “They” commit 72% of all crime in the USA.
        “They” commit 52% of all murders in the USA.
        “They” are thirteen percent of the population.
        Stats from the FBI

  • Checked out the video from last year and yep, the crowd was exactly who I thought it would be.

  • Keep going people. Black on black crime, keep killing off your own race and keep blaming white people for it. Guns dont kill people, just like knives and cars dont kill people. People kill people. It’s a human issue where people do not value another human life.i love how everyone blames Republicans and non liberals for the issues of disrespect for human life, and peace, and responsiblity of one self.

  • Every event that has a group together in this culture…. They always need to shoot at each other.
    Crazy… Can’t even gather in peace😂😂😂

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