The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) arrested 56-year-old Brandy Alexis McLaughlin on Saturday morning after a nearly six-hour armed stand-off with officers in the Butler Plaza Walmart parking lot. 

McLaughlin of Hollywood, Florida, accumulated 22 charges with 20 felonies, including nine counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, 10 for aggravated battery on an officer, resisting an officer with violence and firing a weapon in public. 

GPD dispatched officers to Walmart (2900 SW 42nd St.) at 7:50 a.m. on Saturday after receiving a call from McLaughlin, who claimed to have accidentally discharged her firearm after she thought someone was vandalizing her utility trailer parked in the parking lot. McLaughlin mentioned she had a gas can and threatened to cause trouble if she was shot at. 

According to a GPD press release, witnesses said they heard gunshots from the trailer in the parking lot. When law enforcement arrived, McLaughlin fired at them with what GPD believed to be a handgun.  

Officers set up a perimeter around the store and the trailer after McLaughlin barricaded herself inside the trailer. Police also rerouted traffic on nearby roads, locked down the Walmart and temporarily evacuated surrounding businesses for public safety during the investigation.  

McLaughlin fired at least eight shots over the next three hours until just before noon. Although the shots reportedly placed officers, customers and passersby in danger, no one was injured. 

One coach from Indiana working at the collegiate NAIA indoor track and field championships at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center nearby said they could hear the gunshots as they ran by. 

GPD Chief Nelson Moya told media on scene of the investigation that GPD never returned fire. The GPD SWAT team and GPD Negotiations Team communicated with McLaughlin over the phone and asked her to come out of the trailer.  

According to the arresting officer’s report, these attempts to peacefully resolve the situation were impeded as McLaughlin seemed to talk to people she heard and saw who weren’t actually present. McLaughlin shot at the officers during the negotiations and threatened to use more weapons like propane tanks, an AR-15 rifle and two handguns. 

At 1:47 p.m., GPD updated the status of the investigation and said that the suspect was in custody. McLaughlin suffered minor injuries and will appear in court on Monday. 

In the press release, GPD thanked the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, the University of Florida Police Department, Gainesville Fire Rescue and Alachua County Fire Rescue for their assistance.  

The Alachua County Sheriff’s office also posted on Facebook: “We thank the many citizens who were inconvenienced by today’s events, but please know it was all to keep you safe. Thank you to the GPD Officers and ASO Deputies who bravely faced this armed and very dangerous encounter.”