Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – This morning, Travis Ramone Pinder, aged 34, was taken into custody and faces charges of aggravated child abuse for allegedly assaulting a 17-year-old boy with a firearm, resulting in the boy’s ear being partially severed.

At roughly 3 a.m. on June 21, officers from the Gainesville Police Department were called to The Ridge on 34th (located at 514 SW 34th Street). The young victim reported that he had been in the parking area conversing with others when Pinder emerged from his apartment, instructed him to return indoors, and shouted at the group.

The victim recounted that Pinder approached and struck him on the left side of his head with such force that it caused part of his ear to be torn. It was only after seeing the firearm in Pinder’s grasp—which he identified as a black Glock pistol—that the victim realized he had been hit with a gun.

The victim said a witness yelled to him that Pinder had just hit him in the face with a gun; he said he was in fear for his life and called 911.

The officer reported that even if the earlobe could be reattached, the victim was likely to have permanent scarring.

A witness corroborated the victim’s story and said Pinder was holding a gun, he saw Pinder hit the victim in the face, and he yelled to the victim that Pinder had hit him with a gun.

An officer reported that when he arrived, Pinder was standing by a vehicle but ran inside his apartment after making eye contact with the officer. Officers reportedly found a black handgun under the driver’s side seat in the vehicle, which was registered to Pinder.

Post Miranda, Pinder reportedly said he had gotten into a “tussle” with a group of unknown males and pushed the victim back after the victim got in his face and tried to fight him. He denied having a gun during the incident.

Pinder has been charged with aggravated child abuse. He has no local criminal history, but his address is listed as Ocala; he was arrested for domestic battery in Marion County in 2020, but the charge was later dropped. Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.