Two arrested after early morning shooting at David’s BBQ
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christian Alexander Butler, 23, and Daniel Levi Jordan, 33, were arrested yesterday after a domestic battery incident led to a shooting at David’s BBQ on NE 23rd Avenue.
Jordan reportedly learned on May 23 that his girlfriend was driving a vehicle owned by Butler, her ex-boyfriend; Jordan and his girlfriend, who is pregnant, had lived together until two days ago, when his girlfriend went to stay with Butler.
At about 7 a.m. on May 23, Jordan allegedly used a hammer to smash a window on the vehicle his girlfriend had parked at David’s BBQ (521 NE 23rd Avenue), and his girlfriend called Butler. Jordan allegedly pushed his girlfriend to the ground, grabbed the phone, and smashed it on the ground, making it inoperable; his girlfriend sustained abrasions from being pushed to the ground.
Butler went to David’s BBQ, where Jordan was reportedly driving out of the parking lot. Jordan told a responding Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer that Butler pulled in front of him and pointed a gun at him through the passenger side window. Jordan said he tried to drive around Butler’s vehicle, but the vehicles side-swiped each other, causing minor damage to both vehicles. Jordan said that Butler fired the gun at him during the crash.
Two bullet holes were reportedly found in Jordan’s vehicle, consistent with the angle and trajectory of coming from a nearby vehicle.
Butler and Jordan’s girlfriend reportedly left the area before officers arrived but later went to GPD headquarters to make a report.
Interviewed later at GPD headquarters, Jordan’s girlfriend reportedly told the officer she had called Butler during the fight with Jordan, but she initially said that Butler never shot a gun or even had a gun. She later reportedly admitted she had been untruthful and that she saw Butler arrive at the same time Jordan was trying to drive away. She said Jordan intentionally crashed into Butler’s vehicle, prompting Butler to fire his gun at Jordan.
Officers reported that the rear bumper of Butler’s vehicle was damaged, but based on the amount of damage, there did not appear to have been any imminent threat of great bodily harm that would have justified the use of deadly force.
Post Miranda at GPD headquarters, Butler reportedly said Jordan’s girlfriend called him and he heard screaming, so he went to David’s BBQ and saw Jordan driving away. He said he drove past Jordan’s vehicle and Jordan hit his vehicle twice from behind. Butler reportedly denied ever having a gun or firing a gun.
A gunshot residue test on Butler reportedly produced a positive presumption of gunshot residue on his hands, and Butler reportedly said he had last fired a gun on May 21. A search of Butler’s vehicle reportedly produced 9mm and 38 Special ammunition but no firearms.
Another witness reportedly told officers that she had been in the parking lot during the altercation and saw Jordan driving out of the parking lot. She said Butler pulled in front of Jordan’s vehicle, Jordan’s vehicle ran into Butler’s vehicle, and she heard multiple gunshots. She said Butler left the area and Jordan drove back into the parking lot, got out of his vehicle, and tried to get into the building, but it was locked. She said Butler returned, stopped in the street, pointed a gun at Jordan, and told him to get on the ground before driving away.
Another witness said she heard Jordan’s girlfriend tell Jordan that Butler was going to come and “f*** him up.”
Officers reportedly viewed a video of Butler returning to the scene and confronting Jordan. The video shows Butler and Jordan engaging in a verbal argument while Jordan is standing in the parking lot and Butler is sitting in his vehicle in the roadway. The person taking the video can be heard saying, “He about to shoot his a**.”
Post Miranda, Jordan reportedly admitted smashing the window of a vehicle that belonged to Butler and was driven by his girlfriend and also admitted smashing his girlfriend’s phone. He said he thought he was justified in taking the phone by force because he thought it was a phone he bought for her; the officer noted that it was a different phone, but even if it had been the same phone, he would not have been justified in taking a gift from her by force.
Butler has been charged with attempted homicide, shooting a deadly missile into a vehicle, and discharging a firearm from a vehicle within 1,000 feet of another person. He has no criminal convictions but has a Notice to Appear for stalking the female victim in this case. Judge Luis Bustamante ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.
Jordan has been charged with aggravated battery on a pregnant woman and two counts of property damage. He has no criminal history. Judge Luis Bustamante ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.
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.
So if a guy ramming you is not an imminent threat, then how can a man who simply got a whole busted in his rear window have feared for his life?
“To find oneself jilted is a blow to one’s pride. One must do one’s best to forget it and if one doesn’t succeed at least one must pretend to.” – Moliere
Looks like someone failed their Humanities coursework or skipped class that day.
Ménage à trois would have been much easier and likely wouldn’t have caused any vehicle damage.
Absolutely hilarious, well played Good Sir!
Depends on the situation and how aggressive things get. 🙂
Butler’s defense should be that, his pregnant GF was assaulted, car vandalized, phone destroyed after she called him for help, this is all in progress and the woman is pregnant.
He armed himself to go save the mother and child from this crazy man.
He arrives on scene and positions himself to stop the assailant for the purposes of making a citizens arrest and detain him.
The assailant tried to escape causing a collision and two shots were fired in response.
We have to remember Jordan wasn’t some random citizen, he had just committed allegedly at least 3-4 felonies against a pregnant helpless woman, even if she is a wildcat😁.
So in essence he was still in the act trying to escape and just happened to be stopped by the bf arriving to stop him and save his pregnant girl.
No jury is going to convict this man, especially when nobody was injured except for the pregnant woman, by the guy now claiming to be a victim in a situation he initiated with force and violence against a pregnant woman.
1. Coming to the aid of others, often called “defense of others,” is a criminal defense that allows individuals to use reasonable force to protect another person from harm. It’s similar to self-defense but involves defending a third party instead of oneself. The key is that the defender must reasonably believe that force is necessary to prevent harm to the other person.
2. The pointing of the gun and blocking of the vehicle was the first attempt at a citizens arrest.
The only reason shots were fired is because the assailant tried to escape, by striking the vehicle of Butler.
3.The return and pointing of a gun with instructions to get on the ground was the second failed attempt at a citizens arrest.
The question is in Butlers mind was he doing what was believed necessary to end the threat and prevent the threat from escaping not knowing what the man may do next.
This case will come down to Butlers state of mind aka mens rea.
They aren’t going to try him on attempt homicide they reduce and try a lesser offence.
He didn’t pull up shooting or saying he would kill him, he just tried to stop him and in his mind the guy that just did all this to that girl was willing to ram his vehicle to escape.
The only reason Butler is in jail is because Jordan’s middle name is Levi.
If Jordan had been a black or Hispanic man the story would be Butler saves pregnant woman and tried to detain assailant.
All of what you’re saying is true except the shooting part. Police or citizens aren’t allowed to shoot suspects fleeing or evading arrest unless there’s a credible threat of imminent severe harm.
Us normal men aren’t given the deference that the police get of “fearing for my safety” or qualified immunity either, see the lynching of the men who arrested Arbury (and they had textbook threat of imminent severe harm).
I’d add that Mens Rea is necessary for a functional justice system but it almost never is actually considered by the courts.
True, I was trying to overcome that part with the act of ramming the vehicle, and linking that as the direct cause for the shots. But for this he had no reason to shoot.
Butler isn’t the current boyfriend. He’s the ex she ran back to when she got into a fight with Jordan. For all we know, she’s pregnant by the ex and not the current boyfriend, who is Jordan. The current boyfriend shouldn’t have pushed her to the ground or smashed her phone. He should’ve just walked away from her because I think she might have been cheating on the current boyfriend with the ex and that baby might not even be his. The girl is messy because how are you running back to the ex that has a notice to appear for stalking you?! Makes no sense to me. Common sense ain’t so common these days.
The moment your “girlfriend” leaves and goes to reside with another man, she is no longer YOUR girlfriend, she is now HIS girlfriend, lol.
This is a whole platter of foolishness lol.
When she leaves his house and comes back then she begins to be yours again lol.
Arrest the woman for making poor life choices.
Sounds like the girl is the central problem and common denominator.now they are both in trouble and she is out here probably at the 3rd guys house.
‘Common’ may be an understatement.
She went back to Tyrone to hunker down till this blows over
Naw she stopped by Tyrone’s, she’s at Jody’s house now with what she picked up from Tyrone’s.😂
There has too be an Earl in this group
This doesn’t sound like a very good situation for a baby to be brought into. Hopefully all can grow up and start to act like adults.
Unfortunately, Grandma will likely be raising the child.
She must be one heck of a gal, by G’ville standards. 🙃🙃
White Trash x3
Thugs‼️‼️‼️ I’m sure they are from the Eastside of town
Francis, yep they probably are from the Eastside.
But notice the “held without bail”
And no priors. That’s what stands out to me 👀
The only innocent one is the baby they’re about to bring into this world. Hopefully they’ll choose to give it up for adoption and a better chance in life.
Unfortunately, Grandma will likely be raising the child.
I sure hope not, especially with him trying to kill the baby that he doesn’t want.
Butler isn’t a thug butler is my uncle he just grew up making dumbass Decisions
Your uncle loves you so much and you know that all he was doing was protecting a female, you know how protective he is over you. Don’t listen to these stupid people who don’t know nothing and trying to be all bad a$$ when they are the joke. Your uncle will be home asap when the truth comes out. And trust and believe the truth about how the other guy tried to get her to lose his baby will all come out in the wash.
Your ignorance really shows through in this comment!
Girl, you the one that caused this mess. Not victim blaming or whatever y’all wanna call it but you knew damn well what you were doing. They stupid too. But throw ya ass in the cell as well.
This woman has the morals of an alley cat and all of the men involved with her are idiots.
Poor David’s BarBQ gets bad PR out of this, presumably totally unfairly. Maybe they should host a throuple reunion after everybody’s back on speaking terms.
Dr. Phil on line one.
They all deserve each other. She must be a trophy girl, these idiots fighting over her like that.
None of this would have been a problem 80 years ago the people in the streets an community would gladly see the f boy Jordon beat for even touching a pregnant woman but now that we live in a world full of such butt hurt cry baby’s we gotta make sure we take down the person who was protecting his own…
1000% agree. By any means necessary!
Held without bail, more of that white privilege I see.
The only one I feel bad for is the poor baby.
That’s because the Judge is of Hispanic heritage.
Please make it make sense!!!! Where is the white privilege?
Surprised this does not mention the video of latter events released by officers. This video shows a massively dangerous situation, with a school bus turning off 23rd and driving right past while bullets fly. So all you “citizens arrest” advocates going on about how the shooter has every right to make an arrest are spouting off without any sense of how all this mayhem is happening with cars, schoolkids, and others in the parking lot.
What if the door at David’s was open (they probably had it locked on purpose given the time of day and the long scenario playing out here. That long scenario is why someone on the other side of the street began filming the argument in the first place.
Three idiots that all should be charged with reckless endangerment on top of the other charges.
the video that you are talking about doesn’t depict the actual events. The black truck that is driving away and the red charger that is chasing it, happen to be butler and the pregnant women he was defending. She was in the truck and he was in the car. There were no shots fired in that video and that’s facts! They are the two that fled for their safety and went to the police department. That is where butler turned himself in. He’s not a thug, nor a criminal, he’s somebody who unfortunately made a rash decision to protect someone he loves. I’m not saying he’s right, but don’t make him or to be something he’s not!
Dude, Butler lied about having a gun, lied about shooting a gun, and so did the gf. All reckless idiots putting others in danger.
You act like you never lied when scared! Again none of it was right, but at the end of the day, you can’t sit here and say what you would have done or what he should have done in the situation unless you were in it. I think it’s funny how everyone is all uppity about a man who “supposedly” fired shots at a man who was coming at him with a vehicle, but not the fact that he was continously was being hit by this man’s vehicle or the fact that this man threw down a pregnant woman not once but twice with a hammer in his hand busted her cell phone and went to go after her again before butler showed up. Neither one is right, but I know if It were me. By any means necessary to Protect the ones I love!
Well this is a fine group of Alachua County citizens, makes me glad I live rural in the county, the local cows are pretty peaceful in general…