Man arrested on domestic violence charges after bullet hole found in shower

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tommie Lee Barnwell, 29, was arrested yesterday and charged with domestic battery by strangulation, battery, firing a weapon on residential property, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, obstructing justice, and marijuana possession after he fired his gun during an argument with his girlfriend.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded at about 8:40 a.m. on Thursday to a call about a disturbance at a Holly Heights apartment. The victim told the deputy that she had gotten into an argument with her boyfriend the night before and that he would not let her leave the apartment. She said he hit her in the eye and grabbed her by the neck, causing her to become dizzy and “see stars.” She said that she went into the bathroom and got into the shower, then Barnwell shoved a gun in her mouth and the gun discharged during the struggle, leaving a hole in the wall of the shower; she said she could not call for help because Barnwell had taken her phones.

A search of the apartment reportedly produced a .40 caliber handgun, an empty .40 caliber casing, and what appeared to be a bullet hole in the shower. A search of Barnwell reportedly produced about 5.8 grams of marijuana.

Barnwell has two felony convictions from 2017 for cocaine possession and carrying a concealed firearm without a permit. He was arrested in February 2022 and charged with carrying a concealed firearm without a permit and driving without a valid license after a traffic stop; he entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charge of driving without a valid license, and the gun charge was dropped. He was sentenced to pay the costs of prosecution, $501, and has not paid anything toward that. Felony gun charges were also dropped in two separate cases in 2021.

Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $286,000.

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. 

  • Since 2016, he has had FOUR GUN CHARGES DROPPED OR ABANDONED. Two were for gun VIOLENCE. This is number five. Does someone have to be killed before this trash is locked away for twenty years?

    • YES the 🤑🤑🤑yer$ here want a capital case to ride into their law skool loan payoff day. Duh 🤡👹🤬😡🥺

    • What a coward he is…putting the gun in his girlfriends mouth…
      He’s a convicted felon and he’s not to be around guns…he should go to prison for 5 years…lucky he ain’t doing life if he blew her head off…

      • Actually he’s not a convicted felon. Smh if u are gonna make a statement at least make sure it’s true.

        • Are you ignorant? The article says he has 2 felony convictions in 2017. Fourth paragraph, 1st sentence. If YOU are going to make a statement, at least make sure that’s it’s true. Maybe he shoulda put that gun in your mouth and you’d be thinking differently.

          • Damn Shaquonda, you bitch slapped Tamara pretty good!🤣
            Maybe he her baby Daddy or somethin sayin “he not a felon”…
            Why else would she be defending this dirtbag?

  • Holley Heights….used to be called Cedar Ridge. Low life section 8 living where the livin ain’t large (although I have seen a number of large varieties sprinkled about) If I lived there I think I’d bring two guns and a knife when I took a shower.

        • What is it to me? I’m a landlord who rents to section 8 and sometimes there’s a lot of BS involved with those tenants…I had 5 section 8 government assisted units 2 years ago and down to 2 now and kicking one out end of next month for bringing undesirable element to the property…Are you a landlord too that rents to veterans or section 8?

          • Gilberto is probably on section 8
            Is why he’s getting defensive & triggered with the racial talk…he’s gotta always make it a black vs. white thing…that’s his MO like a broken record. I don’t care what color you are Gilberto…

      • it’s not. the woman actually subleased the apartment from me and she was living there alone – he only came to visit. she’s an amazing woman who has had a hard life. lee your ignorant assumptions to yourself. crime happens far and wide, not just in “section 8 housing”. it may not be a high end neighborhood, but even as a licensed medical assistant – it was the only affordable apartment in gainesville. gainesville is tailored to the students and if you’re not a student then you get stuck in these neighborhoods. since then i’ve graduated from the university of florida and i’m a physician assistant making 6 figures – i hope that’s enough to encourage you to keep your mouth shut in the future. much love

  • Convicted felon obeying those laws again.

    Protect yourselves and your families if you’re legally able, they are even though they’re not permitted. You never know, you may even save the taxpayers some money.

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