Staff Reports
Officers from the Gainesville Police Department responded to an armed robbery early this morning to a Domino’s Pizza location at the 2100 block of SW 13th Street.Â
The suspect, after entering the business, showed a handgun to a Domino’s employee working at the register, and pointed it at them, demanding cash. The victim gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then fled. At this time, the suspect has not been identified.
On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, at approximately 7:05PM, GPD officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of NE 25th Street (Forest Pines Basketball Court) in reference to shots fired. A subsequent investigation by GPD detectives revealed that a juvenile (suspect) got into an argument with another juvenile (victim) on the basketball court, pulled a firearm out of a backpack and fired it into the air.
A search warrant was issued for the suspect’s home and during a follow-on observation of the area on Thursday, September 3, 2020, the suspect was caught during a short foot chase. While searching the suspect’s home, a loaded shotgun was located and a routine check revealed it was stolen during a recent conveyance burglary. The suspect was interviewed at GPD and confessed to shooting a gun at the basketball court. The suspect was arrested for carrying a concealed firearm, resisting without violence, and discharge of a firearm in public.
As GPD continues to respond to increased instances of shots fired, shootings, and armed robberies, we want to ensure our neighbors that we are working vigorously at preventing these violent incidents from occurring. GPD enhanced its partnership with local and federal prosecutors as well as area law enforcement agencies in April 2019, in the combined effort to curb gun-related crimes by prosecuting known armed career criminals in federal court through the Gun Violence Initiative. Over a dozen successful federal indictments have been levied during this timeframe and of those convicted, the sentences average over 10 years in a federal penitentiary. We continue to ask our neighbors to partner with us in stemming this growing tide of gun violence. If you see or hear something that concerns you, please contact 911 as soon as possible.