By Staff Reporter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have detained 18-year-old James Carl Moore following allegations that he threatened a woman with a firearm inside an apartment at Pine Meadows, located near the 2600 block of East University Avenue.
The incident unfolded around 5:45 p.m. on March 11, as the woman was assisting her daughter in vacating the apartment. She recounted to a Gainesville Police Department officer that she had been instructed by the landlord to photograph the apartment’s state. The situation escalated when Moore’s girlfriend became agitated by the picture-taking.
According to the victim, she discovered a gun while opening a closet door, snapped a photo of it, and announced its presence. At this point, Moore, who was seated on an air mattress in the living room, allegedly picked up the gun, aimed it at her face, and demanded she cease taking photos.
The woman described the moment as terrifying, stating she had never experienced such fear and felt as though her heart might burst. She confirmed she had no prior acquaintance with Moore. The officer noted that the victim possessed photographic evidence of the firearm.
A witness inside the apartment corroborated the victim’s account, stating that Moore pointed the gun at her face before making his exit through the back door. The witness called 911 and pursued Moore briefly until authorities advised her to halt; she later informed them of the direction in which Moore fled.
The victim’s daughter said she was outside during the incident and didn’t see what happened, but she said she saw Moore with a gun.
Another witness who was inside the apartment during the incident reportedly corroborated the accounts of the victim and the first witness.
Moore’s girlfriend reportedly said there was never any gun involved in the incident.
Post Miranda, Moore reportedly denied pointing a gun at the victim and said he didn’t even know her. He said he was inside the apartment when the first witness started yelling at him and someone else said he had just pulled a gun on the victim. He said his girlfriend advised him to leave the property, but he isn’t from Gainesville, so he went to a nearby park. He reportedly admitted tossing the gun over a fence, and the gun has not been located. When the officer asked Moore where he got the gun and why he tossed it, Moore reportedly said he didn’t want to say anything else.
Moore’s address is in Georgia, but he told Court Services that he has been here for six months and has worked for DoorDash for about a week.
Moore has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has no criminal history, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000.
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.
