Man arrested after allegedly stabbing victim with screwdriver on downtown sidewalk
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Benjamin Franklin Simmons, 36, was arrested yesterday morning after allegedly stabbing another man with a screwdriver on a downtown sidewalk.
At about 10 a.m. on November 26, the victim left St. Francis House to walk southbound on S. Main Street. He said he heard Simmons screaming at people before Simmons crossed the street and stabbed him with a flat-head screwdriver for no reason. He said he was stabbed once in front of St. Francis House and stabbed again near the intersection of SE 4th Place and S. Main Street.
The responding Gainesville Police Department officer reported that the victim had two wounds that were consistent with being stabbed with a sharp object; part of the incident was captured on surveillance video.
Simmons reportedly left the area in an SUV but was later detained by patrol officers. The victim confirmed that Simmons was the person who stabbed him.
Post Miranda, Simmons reportedly declined to answer any questions.
Simmons has been charged with aggravated battery. He has six felony convictions (none violent) and eight misdemeanor convictions (none violent). Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion by the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.
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.
They clearly don’t follow their own rules. Stop coddling repeat criminals if you are supposed to be helping single women and families. This is not the first time either.
“St. Francis House provides shelter to single women and families with children experiencing homelessness*.”
“As we are primarily a shelter for families with children, all clients and guests must have a current “blue card” (a police clearance card from Gainesville Police Department) before receiving any services from our facility.”
https://stfrancishousegnv.com/st-francis-house/
The downtown ambassadors are going to stop this? They can’t carry guns!
I don’t think that is in their plan or possible. They will not be sworn officers. Their presence may deter this kind of thing however.
You want more beat cops? Ready to pay for them?
We could afford more and better law enforcement, and infrastructure in good repair if the taxes collected were not misspent on feel-good BS projects and boondoggles like the biomess.
Fill the GPD beat cop vacancies that are already on the city budget but “not filled.” That is a choice the GNV City Manager has made for the citizens! I guess an individual not voted for by GNV residents is in charge, and she doesn’t answer to voters!
Also, the Democratic Party professed in their 2024 Platform they support adding more police to combat crime! You can download it yourself at your parties website.
Dude, the article doesn’t say he was staying at or visiting St Francis House.
“He said he heard Simmons screaming at people before Simmons crossed the street and stabbed him with a flat-head screwdriver for no reason.”
Anyone interested in a ‘relaxing’ meal at the new ‘streetery’?
Unfortunately, there were not ten people camping at the park at that address to come to the aid of the stabbing victim. Oops.
Where was the
A M B A S S A D O R?
Dam Ass
Clearly this man has a screw loose.
Sorry, folks, I’ll be here all week. Try the veal!
It’s long past time for a state residential mental health facility in gainesville.Forget Grace Market Place.These folks need their mental health meds in their system daily and someone responsible that happens.
Close Grace Mkt and Do it somewhere else and we’ll send our vagrants & crazies there like how other counties send us theirs…
link?
Was this lunatic part of the GRACE Marketplace Street Team? Or a team leader for Defund The Police Gainesville, aka Block by Block Inc.? Or one of our brainless city commission’s “downtown ambassadors”?
Stop attracting felons, child abusers, and drug addicts to our city by feeding these animals with our tax dollars. Bulldoze GRACE Marketplace to the ground and enforce panhandling ordinances. That includes ticketing any idiot that gives these bums money from inside their vehicle at intersections.
Before Grace, the homeless were a much larger presence downtown, specifically staying in Bo Diddley Plaza all day and night.
Are you new here?
I cannot imagine why downtown businesses are closing, can you?
ACLUSPLCDNC 👹👺👿💩🤡
And the city of G’ville wonders why nobody wants to go downtown??? Duh.