Two people were shot in a drive-by Monday night at the 1200 block of Southeast 19th Terrace near the Gainesville Vineyard church, prompting the Gainesville Police Department to address local gun violence.
At about 8:30 p.m., GPD officers responded to multiple calls of shots fired.
A suspect in a vehicle traveling north on Southeast 19th Terrace fired multiple shots into a crowd of people standing outside of a house, according to a GPD press release.
Two victims were shot before the vehicle fled the scene.
GPD spokesperson Graham Glover said the victims were taken to UF Health Shands Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The shooting came a day after another drive-by killed one person at the Eighth Avenue Food Store.
Glover said the vehicle involved in Monday’s drive-by was different from the one in Sunday’s shooting.
Gun violence in Gainesville has been a rising issue in recent weeks. On Tuesday, Brian Kramer, the state attorney for Florida’s eight judicial circuit, and Gainesville Police Chief Tony Jones held a press conference on West University Avenue to address the “unprecedented” gun violence in Gainesville.
“We are committed to prosecuting those individuals who are terrorizing our communities,” Kramer wrote in a press release. “In partnership with our law enforcement agencies we will do just that.”
On Thursday, GPD will play against the Gainesville High School football team in a flag football game at an event called “Stop the Violence Flag Football.” The purpose of the game, which was planned last week, is to raise awareness about stopping violence in Gainesville. The event will take place at the GHS football field at 5 p.m.
GPD is asking anyone who has information about Monday’s drive-by to contact 352-393-7710 or the Alachua County Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867.
Contact Jake Reyes at jreyes@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @frlJakeReyes.
