Man charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his stepfather

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jon’marrion De’shauntuez Hunter, 19, was arrested yesterday and charged with attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his stepfather twice.

At about 3:50 p.m., a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a call from a woman who said her son had shot her husband. A few minutes later, the victim’s son flagged down an officer in the 1300 block of E. University Avenue to say that he was transporting his father to the hospital with gunshot wounds, but his father was having trouble breathing. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he is reportedly in critical condition.

The victim’s wife reportedly told an officer that Hunter does not live with her but comes to the apartment at Pine Meadows frequently. She said her husband came home from work and confronted Hunter about eating and hanging out at the house and not cleaning up after himself, and her husband and Hunter began arguing. She said her husband pushed Hunter out of the house, but Hunter came back in, saying he was looking for his phone; she said Hunter also said he was taking his infant son with him, but she would not allow him to take his son because she had been the primary caretaker since the child was two months old. She said Hunter pushed her husband and then she heard two gunshots. The victim’s son got the victim into a car and began driving him toward the hospital.

Hunter also reportedly called 911 and said, “He hit me and I shot him.” Officers made contact with him in the 400 block of NE 22nd Terrace, where he reportedly tossed a pistol to the ground and said, “He pulled my hair, so I shot him.”

Post Miranda, Hunter reportedly said the victim had been upset over the cleanliness of the house, and they started arguing. He said the victim pulled his hair and punched him, so he left, but then he put on his hoodie, took his gun from his backpack, and put it in his hoodie pocket. He said he went back inside to get his son, but his mother said he could not have his son.

The arresting officer reported that Hunter provided multiple inconsistent accounts of what happened after that, but he finally said that the victim saw the gun in the hoodie pocket, asked what it was, and lifted the gun in the pocket, causing it to slide toward the edge of the pocket. Hunter reportedly said that he grabbed the gun to keep it from falling out of the pocket, then the victim grabbed the hand holding the gun and knocked it against the wall. Hunter said the victim punched him in the head with his other hand, causing him to fall backwards, and he shot the victim because he was in fear for his life. After the first shot, he said, the victim charged at him again, and he shot him again.

The officer reported that based on Hunter’s statements, he left the apartment, armed himself, and came back; Hunter reportedly had no injuries that would be consistent with his statement about being hit by the victim, and he was near the door at the time of the argument and could have left at any time if he thought he was in danger.

Hunter has no adult criminal history. Judge Tatum Davis ordered him held without bail.

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.