Oaks Mall shooter arrested for illegally carrying concealed firearm
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Elijah Levin Williams, 19, was arrested yesterday for illegally carrying a concealed firearm after he shot a pistol inside Kay Jewelers during a fight.
At about 4:45 p.m. on February 14, law enforcement responded to a report of a gunshot at the Oaks Mall. The investigation found that Williams had taken a woman to Kay Jewelers to get a ring re-sized, and three black males followed the couple into the store. The males started arguing, and the argument escalated to a physical fight; Williams allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband and fired one round, which hit the glass of a jewelry case.
After the gunshot, the four males ran from the mall, and the pistol was later found in a nearby retention pond. Williams was apprehended at 500 NW 62nd Street and was confirmed as the shooter by a witness and with surveillance video.
Post Miranda, Williams reportedly admitted to carrying the pistol and discarding it while fleeing.
Williams is on probation for fleeing from a traffic stop at speeds over 100 mph in September 2024. He is not permitted to possess firearms while on probation, and as a 19-year-old, he is not permitted to carrying a concealed firearm.
Williams has been charged with illegally carrying a concealed firearm and violating probation. He has one felony conviction (non-violent). Judge Tatum Davis set bail at $250,000 on the new charge and ordered him held without bail until the probation violation is resolved.
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.
This dumbass ruined a lot of folks Valentines Day when they had to close the mall to all the law abiding customers. Cost retailers lots of $$$.
He didn’t ruin it the ones who jumped him in the store ruined it. He was acting in self defense in my opinion. The guys who jumped him are lucky it wasn’t their last Valentines Day.
FLGator, no, HE ruined it. It’s illegal to carry a handgun as a 19yr old. The blame lies with him. Full stop.
🙄🤐😖…
Maybe local leaders are right—perhaps these idiots do need more equitable educational opportunities. Maybe they’ll stop being such idiots.
Lock Em Up! #ThugLife
Just dumb. Trying to be a tough guy.
Sounds like he was standing his ground
He wasn’t charged for standing his ground. He was charged for having a gun while on probation and carrying it concealed as a under 21.
Stand your ground does not apply if you are commit a crime while carrying a gun he’s 19 years old. He’s also on probation therefore he was not allowed to have a gun on him.
So thankful no one was injured physically!
Thug life is what it is.
Kids today, like previous generations, were raised by Hollywood pop culture in various forms, wherein guns are normally used to communicate disagreements 🤡👿
That’s why the rest of us, who were raised properly, must arm ourselves, legally 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Not necessary, pop culture he was probablyraised a single mother who has no clue who his dad is if they do know, he’s probably had no hand and raising the kid and lived on the system her whole damn life
Oaks Mall security isn’t what it used to be and unfortunately in Woke Gainesville we still spend more on Traffic enforcement and DEI then on fighting Crime or protecting citizens from anything more then someone else’s Opinion’s
Why bail?
Mary, “Judge Tatum Davis set bail at $250,000 on the new charge and ordered him held without bail until the probation violation is resolved.” He’s not going anywhere soon.
I disagree with him being charged for carrying if the weapon was lawfully used for self-defense. So people who have done their time have to let just themselves be victims?
Unfortunately, in the state of Florida a 19-year-old cannot legally possess and carry a handgun. You have to be 21. I do not agree with law
Any 2nd Amendment advocates want to explain this one?
Sure. When you violate the law, you lose some of your rights. This guy was fortunate that he got probation instead of losing his freedom by going to jail, but he lost the right to carry firearms. With that said, a lot of conservatives would argue that the right to carry a firearm is not something that should be lost in this situation.
I will also point out that most of the people defending him are Democrats who vote over and over and over for the party that would happily eliminate everyone’s right to carry a firearm (except their own security guards, of course).
Please read my comment above yours a 19-year-old state of Florida cannot legally carry a firearm you have to be 21