Juvenile charged in drive-by shooting, armed robbery

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

Takai Johnson, 17, has been charged, along with Jose Antonio Nieves, Jr., 33, in a drive-by shooting and multiple armed robberies on July 22.

A sworn complaint filed on July 23, 2021, stated that Nieves was northbound in a vehicle on SW 13th Street around 1:00 a.m. on July 22 and fired out the window of the car. Seven spent 9mm casings were located at the scene.

At 4:25 a.m. on the same night, Nieves was arrested while officers were investigating an armed robbery. During a post-Miranda interview with Nieves, it was determined that he had been in the vicinity of the earlier shooting. A 9mm Glock 26 was found in the vehicle with Nieves.

On August 9, the State Attorney’s office filed charges against both Nieves and Johnson, causing Johnson to be moved from the juvenile corrections facility to the Alachua County Jail. Each defendant was charged with two separate charges of armed robbery and home invasion, one for an attempt to rob four victims, and one for an attempt to rob two different victims. Both suspects are also charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle for stealing a Chevy Impala.

In addition, Nieves was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and aggravated fleeing for leaving the scene of a crash and refusing to comply with an order to stop, also causing damage to the stolen car. Johnson was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm because he is a minor.

Both defendants are also charged with threatening yet another victim with firearms. Johnson is charged with intentionally striking two law enforcement officers. Nieves is also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor by allegedly committing these crimes with Johnson.

Johnson was charged with possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis without a prescription, Nieves was charged with driving without a valid license, and Nieves was charged with tampering with evidence with respect to the firearm.

Both suspects are being held in the Alachua County Jail.

  • Notice a trend?

    What causes a group to be stereotyped?

    Keep on believing…

    • Now that you mention it I do spot a trend. When your hair style consists of rolls of quarters glued endwise on the scalp, the weight apparently warps the brain and causes strange behavior.

  • Sad story. The 17 year old should have been chasing girls, not running around with a 33 year old. Another case of …. Where’s his daddy?

    • The 17 year old grew up in the foster care system his entire life. He didn’t have a normal upbringing and was easily influenced by peers. He is not a bad kid at all and was trying to find his way through life with the wrong crowd. I would consider him a victim of the 33 year old who had to influence him to do this. I pray the system takes it easy on him.

    • His dad was in a mental health department and I had moved to get him away from here and found a place and he got in trouble for none sense.

    • This is his mother if you don’t have nothing nice to say go to hell bitch I hate people like you

  • Both – if found guilty – need SEVERE consequences. It appears we need to rethink incarceration – it isn’t working, Such behavior and culture is a threat to the entire community. Well, except perhaps where judges and lawyers live.

    • And politicians…for some reason, they have walls/fences/barriers.

      Keep on believing…

    • You is a threat the s*** is fake news my son is innocent y’all full of s*** and I hope you die for real f*** your community you don’t do s*** for the f****** community you was a nobody for real your words don’t even f****** matter kill yourself b**** that’s my son you talking about

  • I can’t believe he got arrested he has a child on the way he should’ve been focused on preparing to be a dad.

  • Lock them up for 20 years! They should have plenty of time to think about being REAL MEN in society..

    • You is a sick minded dude I hope you die of cov19 ps . that’s my son you talking about .I hope you disappear. In life, your words don’t matter. Period

  • Fake news 😂😂 my son is innocent.period free my son in the mighty name of Jesus

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