Pair arrested after shots fired at mobile home park

Staff report

Updated on January 3 with criminal history and bail information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Luis Alberto Lopez-Garcia, 32, and Oved Vazquez Ortiz, 28, were arrested early this morning after shots were fired at the Oak Park Mobile Home Park.

At about 4:25 a.m. on January 1, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of shots fired at Oak Park Mobile Home Park (4000 SW 47th Street). Multiple callers reportedly described a Hispanic male who was holding a gun after multiple gunshots were heard. A witness reportedly said that the man was drunk and there were multiple children present.

A deputy saw Ortiz standing in front of a residence, and he asked Lopez-Garcia who had the gun; Lopez-Garcia was reportedly standing next to spent shell casings and was “surrounded” by minor children. The deputy reported that one of the children seemed to point back at Ortiz, who was standing behind various items of furniture; the deputy also noted that there were “alcohol bottles everywhere.”

Deputies did not know where the gun was, and they attempted to detain both men. Ortiz reportedly complied at first but then pulled away, and deputies took him to the ground, where he continued to struggle but was eventually secured in handcuffs.

Deputies reportedly told Lopez-Garcia to keep his hands out of his pockets, but he allegedly kept putting his hands in his pockets. Lopez-Garcia was moved to the front of a patrol vehicle so he could be patted down to check for weapons, and he was asked to keep his hands on the hood of the vehicle; a deputy reported that deputies demonstrated the placement of his hands and asked him to repeat the instructions to ensure that he understood them. A sergeant reportedly explained that if he failed to comply with the instructions, he would be arrested.

When deputies began patting down Lopez-Garcia for weapons, he allegedly removed his hands from the hood of the vehicle and turned; he was placed under arrest at that point.

Deputies found three spent 9mm shell casings in front of the home, and a fourth shell casing was reportedly found during a search of Lopez-Garcia.

A witness reportedly said Ortiz was the man who had been seen with a gun immediately after the gunshots were heard.

Deputies noted that Ortiz was “obviously intoxicated.” Ortiz reportedly stated spontaneously, “The gun’s not even mine.” Post Miranda, Ortiz reportedly said they had been drinking all night, and a friend gave him the gun to hold while the friend went to a club; he was unable to provide the friend’s full name. Ortiz reportedly admitted to shooting the gun at least three times in the direction of a bush. He said at first that his friends told him to shoot the gun, but he later said he shot it to prevent Lopez-Garcia from fighting someone else.

Ortiz reportedly described the gun and gave deputies permission to search the home, but deputies were unable to find the gun; Ortiz reportedly said a third person may have taken it, but he did not identify that person.

Lopez-Garcia has been charged with resisting an officer without violence. He has two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent), and Judge Adam Lee ordered him released on his own recognizance.

Ortiz has been charged with resisting an officer without violence, discharging a weapon in a residential neighborhood, and discharging a firearm under the influence of alcohol. He has an unspecified federal criminal history from 2016. Judge Lee set bail at $25,000.

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.