Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – James Todd Short, 62, was arrested last night after he allegedly threatened another man with a knife inside a dorm at GRACE Marketplace.
Gainesville Police Department officers were called to GRACE Marketplace, located at 3055 NE 28th Drive, at approximately 11:24 p.m. on October 15. A witness told officers that the victim had reported seeing Short with a knife inside the dorm. The witness said he entered the dorm, saw Short holding the weapon and ordered him to put it down, but Short refused. The witness also provided a description of the knife.
According to the victim, he entered the dorm to go to bed and saw Short sitting up in the bunk beside his while holding a knife. The victim said Short made threatening remarks and that he feared Short would get out of bed and stab him. He told officers he had never spoken with Short and did not know what had prompted the alleged behavior.
Officers reportedly found Short walking away from the dorm. Authorities said he became tense and pulled away when they attempted to detain him, prompting officers to take him to the ground and place him in handcuffs. A search conducted after the arrest allegedly uncovered a knife matching the description given by the witness.
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After being advised of his Miranda rights, Short reportedly said he had been lying in his bunk when a leg cramp caused him to yell and curse. He said the outburst was directed at the situation rather than any particular person. Short told officers that his pocketknife fell from his pocket as he climbed down from the bunk and that he picked it up. He denied threatening anyone or holding the knife in his hands.
Short faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting an officer without violence. His record includes six felony convictions, including one violent felony, and six nonviolent misdemeanor convictions. He has served one state prison sentence and was released on August 11, 2026. Authorities also listed an unspecified criminal history in Georgia dating from 1987 through 2025. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $52,500.
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.
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