GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have apprehended 43-year-old Jermaine Williams, charging him with the shooting of a man on December 5 in the Ridgeview area.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. that day, officers from the Gainesville Police Department responded to reports of gunfire in the 3200 block of NW 21st Street. The victim recounted a heated text exchange with Williams earlier, leading to an invitation for Williams to come over for a confrontation.
According to the victim, Williams sent a message indicating his arrival with the words, “I’m outside.” As the victim stepped out, he heard Williams call out from roughly 30 feet away. As he approached Williams, a gunshot rang out, narrowly missing him. The victim believed Williams aimed to kill him, prompting him to call 911 as Williams fled the scene on foot.
Upon investigation, officers discovered a .25 caliber shell casing at the alleged spot where Williams stood, and a bullet had struck a mailbox just behind where the victim had been. An officer observed that the bullet’s trajectory suggested Williams was aiming at the victim rather than discharging the weapon into the air or ground.
Witnesses corroborated hearing a gunshot before police arrived. One witness, acquainted with Williams, reported seeing him in the vicinity shortly after the incident, where Williams admitted to firing at the victim.
Following his arrest, Williams declined to speak further without legal representation present.
As a career offender, Williams is required to report his address to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ASO), but a GPD officer investigating the shooting learned that the man who leased the property at Williams’ registered address had passed away in August, and Williams had to leave the property because it was leased to a new tenant. ASO told the GPD officer that Williams had not updated his address, so he has also been charged with failing to register a change of address as a career offender.
Williams has been charged with attempted first-degree homicide, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and failure to report a change of address as a career offender. He has nine felony convictions (five violent) and four misdemeanor convictions (non-violent), and he has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2015. Judge Julie Johnson 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.
