- A 19-year-old man fired a shot inside Kay Jewelers at Oaks Mall during an altercation with three other males on Saturday around 4:45 p.m.
- Elijah Levin Williams was identified and arrested as the shooter through witness accounts and surveillance footage.
- Williams was charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon and violating probation, with bail set at $250,000 for the weapon charge.
A 19-year-old shooting suspect was arrested on Saturday after he fired a shot inside Kay Jewelers in Oaks Mall following an altercation with three other males.
According to Gainesville Police Department (GPD) and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) releases, law enforcement responded to the report of an active shooter at Oaks Mall in Gainesville around 4:45 p.m. on Saturday.
Upon arrival, law enforcement discovered that a 19-year-old male and female couple were shopping at Kay Jewelers when three male suspects entered the store and reportedly got into an argument and attacked the 19-year-old male.
According to a police report, the 19-year-old suspect pulled out a pistol from his waistband and fired one round, which hit the glass of a jewelry case.
Following the shot, all four males ran from Oaks Mall.
Law enforcement apprehended the suspected shooter, identified as Elijah Levin Williams, at 500 NW 62nd St. He was confirmed as the shooter by a witness and with surveillance video. Post Miranda, Williams reportedly confessed to carrying the firearm and discarding it while he fled.
The pistol was recovered in a nearby retention pond.
Williams was charged with illegally carrying a concealed weapon and violating probation. His bond was set at $250,000 for the carrying the concealed weapon charge, but he was ordered to be held without bail for the probation violation.