Homeless man arrested after report that he was brandishing a knife near the university

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kellum Patterson West, 24, was arrested early this morning and charged with resisting arrest after multiple officers tried to apprehend him over several days.

West, who is homeless, is on probation in two cases after being adjudicated guilty of criminal mischief for breaking the windshield of a random vehicle that was sitting at an intersection and swinging repeatedly at officers who were arresting him in a different incident. One arrest report noted that he is known to be violent. As a condition of his probation, he is required to attend mental health treatment sessions, and he missed several sessions in January, resulting in the issuance of a warrant for his arrest on February 6.

At 11:55 p.m. on February 8, multiple calls were received about a man brandishing a knife in the 1700 block of W. University Avenue; the man was not located, but the description was “very distinct” and matched West’s description.

At 3:22 a.m. on February 9, a caller reported that West was back in the area, and he was reportedly located in the alley behind 1712 W. University Avenue. When West saw the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) patrol car, he allegedly ran, and when another patrol car arrived at the end of the alley, West allegedly ran past that car. An officer chased him on foot but was not able to detain him.

West was seen in the 1600 block of NW 1st Avenue at about 12:45 a.m. this morning, and he allegedly ran when two GPD officers approached him. He was cut off by a patrol car but allegedly ran into the car and kept running until he fell and was apprehended.

West has two felony convictions and is on probation in both cases. Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bond on both counts of probation violation and set bail at $1,000 on the charges of resisting arrest.

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. 

  • So called judge Susan Miller-Jones needs to be recalled or suspended by the Governor.

    • The governor suspend it, the Hillsboro county DA, who refuse to follow the law now it’s time to get rid of this judge

  • Probably kin of Charles Manson. Obviously in need of forced mental health treatment.

  • Grace Marketplace is supposed to be helping vagrants like this…how come staff wasn’t helping him? Because it’s
    Total BS…it’s a bum magnet and needs to be shut down. Now the DOT
    Is putting safety stuff on 39th & Waldo so they can travel safely to the median so they can panhandle and leave their trash & garbage in the median….

  • Awe, couldn’t he wait for his trust fund to come at 25? So sad, let’s legalize drugs now. Then a lucky public defender will strike gold when he commits homicide someday soon 🤑🤑🤑👹🤡🤬

  • I’ve gotta say, the judge’s bond on the two new charges of resisting look fair and he is being held without bond on his VOP

    • Yeah, it seems like a lot of people don’t read the whole article and respond anyway. I’ve always thought she was one of the better judges.

  • Too bad there isn’t something GPD could use that has a great sense of smell and could track and find a person running around with a knife next to campus.

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