Man arrested for pepper-spraying toddler and family

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Axel Antonio Valentin-Cruz, 26, was arrested yesterday afternoon after a family said he pepper-sprayed them and their toddler.

The victims told a Gainesville Police Department officer that they were walking up the stairs to their apartment, laughing and talking about a family member, when Valentin-Cruz, who was standing in the breezeway near their apartment, said, “What did you say to my sister?”

The victims told the officer that they tried to explain that they weren’t talking to him, but that infuriated Valentin-Cruz, and he pulled out pepper spray and sprayed all of them. One victim said that when she pointed out that she was holding a two-year-old, Valentin-Cruz said he didn’t care about the baby and continued to spray them.

The victims said Valentin-Cruz retreated to his apartment while they were still standing there, shocked. They said he then came out with a Taser, arced it several times, and ran at them, trying to Tase them. They were able to retreat into their apartment.

The officer noted that law enforcement had previously responded to the same location on May 5 following reports that Valentin-Cruz was chasing and threatening residents with a Taser.

The officer reported that pepper spray was still noticeable in the air when he arrived and that pepper spray had stained the back of a victim’s shirt. Two of the victims were still wet from trying to wash off the pepper spray, and they said their skin was still burning.

Post Miranda, Valentin-Cruz reportedly denied spraying anyone with pepper spray and said he was the one being chased and was in fear for his life. He reportedly said he has bipolar disorder but does not take medication.

Valentin-Cruz was arrested last August after allegedly punching a woman in the face in the laundry room at GRACE Marketplace. About a month later, his attorney requested a reduction in his bond because he had said people were trying to poison him in the jail food and that detention officers had killed his sister and were planning to kill him. Judge Walter Green signed a Baker Act order for a mental health evaluation; the order specified that Valentin-Cruz be released to Court Services once he was stabilized and that he must abide by all treatment recommendations. However, a month later, the charge was dropped.

Valentin-Cruz has been charged with three counts of battery, two counts of making threats to do violence, and one count of child abuse without great bodily harm. Bail information is not public because one of the charges involves a child.

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.