Gainesville Police arrested a local man Saturday night after officers said he walked into an apartment complex, fired two shots in the air and threatened to shoot someone.
Police arrested 22-year-old Darius Stephon Young on charges of aggravated assault with a weapon, armed trespassing and grand theft of a firearm, among other charges, according to an arrest report.
A mother of three and resident of the complex noticed a man wearing a red vest and jeans walk into Gardenia Gardens apartment complex, located at 1727 NE Eighth Ave., according to the report.
The woman was putting her children to bed when she saw him shoot in the air, she said in a phone interview after the shooting. She then told her children and nieces to hide in the room and dialed 911.
She and another witness told police that several people, including children, were outside in common areas of the complex when Young made the threats, according to the report.
A second resident of the complex was standing in the parking lot when he heard a gunshot, according to the report. He then heard the door of his apartment slam shut.
The man ran into his unit to check on his girlfriend and four children. Instead, he found Young backing away from the couch, according to the report. He yelled at Young to leave.
Young ran out of the apartment and confronted police outside, who told him to get on the ground. When he didn’t, officers had to force him down, according to the arrest report.
Officers found a 9 mm handgun under the couch cushions at the second victim’s apartment after the man told police Young had possibly hid something there, according to the report.
During questioning, Young told officers he went to the complex to confront a specific person but did not specify whom or why, according to the report. He also admitted to hiding the gun in the apartment.
Young is a convicted felon with previous charges ranging from aggravated assault to cocaine possession, according to court records. The handgun he used in the shooting was one of 19 firearms reported stolen out of Chiefland, Fla., in June, according to the report.
Officers booked Young into the Alachua County Jail at about 11 p.m. Saturday, where he remained as of press time in lieu of a $600,000 bond.
A version of this story ran on page 9 on 1/6/2014 under the headline "Man caught red vested at complex"
