UF student arrested for felony battery after allegedly beating man outside nightclub

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Marco Anthony Schiano, 20, was arrested yesterday and charged with felony battery after allegedly beating another man until he was unconscious.

According to the arrest report, Schiano and several other individuals physically assaulted the victim outside the White Buffalo nightclub at 111 S. Main Street at about 12:30 a.m. on January 13.

The victim told Gainesville Police Department officers that he and a friend were trying to stop Schiano and another unknown man from physically assaulting a stranger outside the nightclub when Schiano and another man began attacking him. The victim reportedly said that Schiano punched him in the face with a closed fist, and Schiano and other men repeatedly punched and kicked him. The victim said more men got out of a nearby vehicle and also began attacking him and his friend.

The victim was reportedly knocked to the ground, unconscious, then the attackers fled the scene.

The victim reportedly sustained major injuries to his face, including a broken nose, separated jaw, and split lip; both orbital sockets were also broken.

A witness reportedly told officers that she saw Schiano and another man punching and kicking the victim and that after the victim was unconscious, Schiano tried to kick him again, but she “would not allow him.” She said she heard one of the men say, “I’m going to kill [the victim].”

Post Miranda, Schiano reportedly said he punched the victim six or seven times before knocking him unconscious; he said he punched him two or three times after he was on the ground. He reportedly said he was still “worked up” from seeing the victim hit his brother, so he approached the victim again but was restrained by bystanders. Schiano reportedly said he’d heard stories about the victim attacking his fraternity members in the past.

The officer reported that he had seen a video showing Schiano punching the victim and then being restrained by his friends; in the video, Schiano broke away from his friends and “aggressively” went back to the victim, then grabbed him by his hair and face before being restrained again by his friends.

Schiano, who is a UF student, has no criminal history; Judge David Kreider set bail at $10,000 with a requirement that Schiano not consume any alcohol or illegal drugs.

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.