Homeless man arrested for making false 911 call and five shoplifting incidents

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dwight Leon Jenkins Jr., 37, was arrested yesterday after allegedly making a 911 call to report a shooting in another neighborhood in an attempt to divert the police from his location; he was also arrested on warrants for five shoplifting incidents.

At about 9:28 a.m. on March 17, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a vacant apartment in Pineridge where Jenkins had been squatting; they surrounded the apartment in an attempt to serve five active warrants for shoplifting.

After the officers made announcements through a speaker, the Combined Communications Center received a 911 text that said, “need officers to Northwood Pines, they shooting.” The operator said there were no other calls about this shooting, so the location of the phone was pinged, and officers learned that it was at the Pineridge apartment; the officers determined that the text was sent in an attempt to divert law enforcement resources away from Jenkins and the apartment.

At 10:09 a.m., Jenkins reportedly opened the front door and surrendered to officers.

An officer reported that Jenkins had a cell phone that was powered off, and he refused to answer any post-Miranda questions about texting or calling 911.

Jenkins has been charged with making a false 911 call, a misdemeanor, and was also booked on five warrants for shoplifting, all felonies because he has previous theft convictions. He has eight felony convictions (four violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (two violent), and he has served four state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2022. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail on the new charge at $5,000, and the warrants had a combined bail of $55,000.

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.