Man arrested after allegedly brandishing gun in MLK Center gym

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Eric Jermaine Turner, Jr., 27, was arrested yesterday and charged with carrying a concealed weapon without a permit after allegedly brandishing a gun inside the gym at the MLK Center in June.

On June 6, 2022, at about 2:20 p.m., Gainesville Police Department officers responded to the MLK Center at 1028 NE 14th Street after a caller said that Turner was openly carrying a gun. Possession of the gun, according to the arrest report, also violated a Domestic Violence Protection Order.

A witness told an officer that Turner and another person got into a verbal argument about fouls in a game of basketball. The witness said the argument escalated until Turner said he would kill the other person and then went to his backpack. Turner reportedly returned with his backpack and continued to threaten the other person. The witness got between them, and eventually, a mentor to the other person escorted him out of the gym and away from the area. The witness said Turner then pulled a gun out of the backpack and brandished it. The witness said he asked Turner to put the gun away, but he wouldn’t. The witness then reportedly began locking doors to prevent Turner from following the other person but lost sight of Turner at some point.

Another witness also reportedly told an officer that he saw Turner brandishing the gun. A third witness did not see the gun but was notified that someone had a gun in the building and saw Turner there at the time.

Turner was initially charged with carrying a concealed firearm without a permit, and a formal charge of carrying a concealed firearm without a permit was filed in August. Turner’s only criminal history is a deferred prosecution for driving without a valid license. He is also facing a misdemeanor charge of property damage from an incident in March when he allegedly damaged the door of an apartment by banging on it. He has been released on $12,000 bail: Judge William Davis set bail of $10,000 for the firearm charge, and Judge Walter Green set bail of $2,000 on the property damage 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.