An Okeechobee man was arrested after police said he attacked a UF student near Midtown, leaving him in a pool of blood.
Jacob Dupree, 22, was booked into jail Wednesday after police issued a warrant for his arrest following the Sept. 29 incident, according to Gainesville Police. Dupree was released from the Alachua County Jail on a $30,000 bond early Thursday morning on a battery charge.
Court records don’t say specifically why Dupree attacked the UF finance sophomore, Edward Parkhill, but a witness told police Dupree “sucker punched” Parkhill, according to the complaint.
Parkhill, was critically injured and taken to UF Health Shands Hospital with a fractured skull, police said. Parkhill is a member of UF’s Kappa Alpha fraternity.
A GoFundMe was made to help pay for Parkhill’s medical expenses, which now has more than $27,000 of the $30,000 goal raised as of Thursday morning. The page also says Parkhill was released from the hospital on Oct. 9 and is still recovering from the incident.
GPD released surveillance footage on Oct. 15 of the suspect walking past The Social at Midtown wearing a patterned shirt. Surveillance footage, eye witness accounts and card transactions made by Dupree that night helped law enforcement identify him as the suspect, according to the arrest report.
Dupree’s phone number or attorney contact information were not listed in his court records as of Thursday morning. Parkhill did not respond for immediate comment.
Surveillance footage of the suspect near The Social at Midtown, accompanied by three other white males, according the GPD.
