Jail inmate charged with battery after watching TV news story about the victim’s arrest

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shawn Antwon Hopkins, 30, was charged with felony battery by a person detained in a jail after allegedly attacking another inmate while they were watching a TV news story about the victim’s arrest.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy reported that he was provided video of the incident, showing several inmates watching the news on TV in a common area of the jail. After a story appeared about the victim’s arrest for child abuse, Hopkins allegedly became “suddenly irate” and grabbed the victim’s shirt to turn him around. He then allegedly pushed the victim, then picked him up and slammed him on the floor. At that point, other inmates broke up the fight.

Hopkins was booked into the jail on December 28, 2022, on a misdemeanor domestic battery charge. He has three prior felony convictions and was being held on $100,000 bail. Judge Walter Green added $5,000 bail for the new charge.

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. 

  • The victim should get used to the beatings. He will get many more in prison.

  • I’m glad he did that to the victim we don’t stand for child abuse anybody abusing a child needs to get there a** kicked

  • I think the inmates should be charged with assault for breaking it up 😂 he deserved that whooping #NoPedo

  • When did you start getting charged in jail for a fight?? I seen plenty of fights in jail and nobody never got an actual new charge. Maybe a DR or CC but thats it. Then on a child abuser are they serious? He should be able to get his A** kicked on the streets and it shouldn’t matter.

    • They enacted fighting penalties in jail because of just what you said, “I’ve seen plenty of fights in jail.” Being in jail IS the punishment for crime. Getting the crap beat out of you is not part of that punishment. (For the record, I hate pedophiles!)

  • I see no problem with his actions. If they didn’t want this to happen they should have had the child abuser in protective custody.

    And charging him with a felony for a jail fight? That’s BS. Bet it’ll get dismissed but not before he spends 40-50 extra days in jail waiting for a court date smh.

  • Just further proof that even criminals have standards.

    Let him out early for lending a helping hand.

  • He should expected to have his _ss kicked for that when he landed in jail on a child victim crime. We all know that the other imates don’t accept children being abused. Even those of us that have never been to jail! How dare the GSD to charge the dude for doing what we all would want to do.

  • With his record, Hopkins qualifies for the Gainesville city commission. Next election, I’m writing him in.

  • The judge should have given him time served in some of charges, honestly! The things the victim did to that infant were insane. He deserved to be done the same way!! I’m just saying💁🏽‍♀️

  • I’m willing to bet the officer on duty put that on TV on purpose cause they know how it goes in there for these POS child molesters. For the guy who beat ol dudes a#@ you really do deserve to get out early my man I hope they take this into consideration cause too many sick POS in the world we need more people like you to scare these mfs back to reality. Anyone who could harm a child deserves this & so much worse believe that.

  • >