Man arrested for threatening attendees at Florida Invitational Step Show

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jacob Park, 21, was arrested last night after allegedly threatening people who attended last night’s Florida Invitational Step Show at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

A University of Florida Police Department Officer who was working a special detail at the event reported that she saw a man dressed all in black, with his face covered, enter the auditorium just before the event ended. She said the man quickly stepped back behind the wall when he saw her, and she reported that she saw the man, later identified as Park, peek around the corner multiple times in her direction before walking up to her, pulling down his mask, and asking whether she was from Africa. He reportedly suggested that she should go to Africa to visit. She reported that his “demeanor was extremely odd, and he appeared to be very nervous.”

She reported that Park returned to where he had been standing after the brief conversation, and a staff member walked over to the officer and asked whether everything was okay because the staff member was also concerned by the man’s odd behavior. A man in the auditorium who was standing near Park approached the officer and said Park had said something about being at the event to start a fight with members of Kappa Alpha Psi, a historically black fraternity. The man reportedly said he didn’t know Park but was concerned about what he’d said.

When the performance ended, Park reportedly moved to the exit of the auditorium, and the officer reported that he spoke to several people as they left the auditorium and allegedly pushed by at least three people to get into a better position. The officer reported that she saw Park push a black male with an open hand as the man attempted to leave the auditorium, and she immediately escorted Park to a side room. She reported that Park tensed and pulled away from her and another officer when they tried to pat him down for weapons. They handcuffed him, and the pat-down reportedly produced a kitchen knife in Park’s front left pocket.

Park was arrested for battery and carrying a concealed weapon.

Further investigation revealed that Park had been having conversations online with the battery victim and other members of his fraternity; Park allegedly said he was going to “kill” one of the fraternity members and that he would “dekappatate” (decapitate) the victim in front of everyone. Park also allegedly called the victim a “faggot” numerous times and wrote, “God loves me he hates faggots” and “I’ll be doing the world a favor faggot.”

Park has been charged with simple battery, making a written threat to kill, and illegal possession of a concealed weapon.

Park’s home address is in Wesley Chapel, FL, and the Independent Florida Alligator is reporting that he is a UF student. Park got a traffic ticket in Alachua County in December 2023 but otherwise has no entries in local court records or Pasco County court records. Bail has not been set.

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.