In Gainesville, Florida, a troubling incident unfolded at the UF Health’s Kanapaha emergency room, leading to the arrest of a young man. Ashley Kareem Kirksey, a 20-year-old resident of Archer, found himself in handcuffs following allegations of assaulting and threatening the medical staff.

According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies, the events began around 1:51 p.m. on January 23, when Kirksey entered the emergency room located at 7405 SW Archer Road with his girlfriend. Upon entering, a metal detector alerted security, prompting a guard to inquire if Kirksey was carrying any weapons. Kirksey reportedly denied having any.

At this point, tensions escalated as Kirksey’s girlfriend allegedly began causing a commotion, drawing Kirksey into the fray. Despite requests from a security guard and an employee to vacate the premises, Kirksey reportedly refused to leave, repeatedly asserting, “I got something for you.” He also challenged the employee to a fight outside.

Subsequently, Kirksey exited the facility and returned to his vehicle. Given the earlier metal detector alert and Kirksey’s menacing remarks, the employee felt compelled to prevent him from re-entering the building. The situation intensified when Kirksey reportedly approached the employee in a confrontational manner.

Witnesses reported that Kirksey initiated physical aggression by throwing the first punch. The employee managed to subdue Kirksey initially but had to defend himself again as Kirksey charged at him. In the ensuing struggle, Kirksey was reportedly pushed into some bushes. Despite being restrained by other staff members, Kirksey allegedly spat on the employee multiple times. The deputy on the scene confirmed that various witnesses corroborated different segments of the employee’s account.

The employee told a deputy that Kirksey approached him in a fighting stance, and the employee and multiple witnesses told the deputy that Kirksey threw the first punch. The employee said he took Kirksey to the ground and then got up, but Kirksey charged at him again, so he pushed Kirksey into some bushes. The employee said other staff members told him to get off Kirksey, so he got up, but Kirksey charged at him again and was restrained by other staff members. Kirksey allegedly spat on the employee three times while he was restrained by the other staff members. A deputy noted that multiple witnesses confirmed different parts of the employee’s account of the incident.

Post Miranda, Kirksey reportedly said he was never armed inside the hospital, but he was asked to leave. He said that when he came back to the door of the facility, the victim was the first to get into a fighting stance, and he was just trying to defend himself; he also said the victim never disengaged, but a deputy noted that statements by the victim and multiple witnesses contradicted that.

A search of Kirksey’s vehicle reportedly produced a black firearm in the back seat, concealed under a bag.

Based on the alert from the medical detector, the threatening statements reportedly made by Kirksey after he was asked to leave the facility, his return to his vehicle, and the firearm found in his vehicle, Kirksey has been charged with armed trespassing and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on medical personnel. He was also charged with three counts of battery on medical personnel for allegedly re-engaging three times with the employee.

Kirksey was charged via sworn complaint with resisting an officer without violence in 2024, and he entered into a pre-trial diversion agreement that was revoked in December 2025 because Kirksey failed to comply with the conditions of the agreement; however, the documents in his court docket do not explain what he did to violate the agreement. He is scheduled to appear at a hearing on January 26 in that case.

Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard set bail at $420,000 on the new charges.

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.