Homeless man arrested for threatening to shoot man outside St. Francis House

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lawrence Bradley III, 40, was arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening to shoot another man outside St. Francis House.

The responding Gainesville Police Department officer reported that the victim said he was sitting with two other people when Bradley came around the corner and started yelling at him about an argument they’d had the day before. The victim said Bradley approached him aggressively and said he would shoot him while grabbing his pockets as if he were reaching for a gun. The victim said he was afraid Bradley had a gun, so he ran around the corner into St. Francis House (413 S. Main Street) to ask someone to call 911.

A witness said she was at the park behind St. Francis House when she heard a loud argument, so she walked to the gate to see what was happening. She said she saw Bradley and the victim arguing, and she said she heard Bradley threatening to shoot the victim and saw him lifting his white sweater, exposing the black handle of a firearm. She said she ran inside to tell a staff member, and while the staff member was on the phone with 911, Bradley came back; when he heard the staff member tell the call-taker that he was wearing a white sweater, he reportedly took the sweater off and placed it on a wheelchair.

A second witness said she saw Bradley grabbing his pants, but she never saw a gun.

An anonymous witness reportedly said he saw Bradley grabbing his pants as if he were reaching for a gun, but he never saw a gun.

Bradley reportedly said he was walking westbound on SE 4th Place when he saw the victim approaching him, holding a fork. He said he asked the victim, “What you going to do with that fork? I ain’t scared of no fork.” He said someone opened the side door of St. Francis House, distracting the victim, and he took the opportunity to run away down the street.

Post Miranda, Bradley reportedly told several different stories about the incident; he said he couldn’t remember, but he might have told the victim he would shoot him.

Bradley, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has 10 felony convictions (five violent) and 10 misdemeanor convictions (three violent) and has served five state prison sentences, with his most recent release on February 1, 2026. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $100,000.

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.