The search for a UF student who disappeared Thursday night continued over the weekend as friends, family and local police departments looked for him in northwest Gainesville.
Christian Aguilar, an 18-year-old biomedical engineering freshman from Miami, was last seen at about 6 p.m. Thursday after he was dropped off in a parking lot on the 4900 block of Northwest 13th Street, according to a GPD news release.
Aguilar’s friends and family have not seen or heard from him since his disappearance.
GPD described Aguilar as a 5-foot-3-inch Hispanic male, wearing a hoodie and jeans, according to the release. He is also reported to have a history of depression.
GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias said Aguilar got out of the car near Streit's Motorsports and added that foul play may be involved in the disappearance.
“We believe there may have been an argument and a physical fight,” Tobias said.
Police have identified Pedro Bravo as a person of interest in the incident.
Bravo, 18, told investigators that he was involved in a dispute with Aguilar before he left him in the parking lot, according to the release.
Police have not charged Bravo with a crime, but he was detained on Friday for mental examination under Florida’s Baker Act after he told officers that he wanted to hurt himself.
Officers from the Gainesville and University Police departments started the search for Aguilar on Friday night.
GPD helicopter and K-9 units canvassed the area where Bravo described he dropped Aguilar off, but officers have not been able to find him.
Police said they believe Aguilar may be disoriented, possibly injured and not able to look for medical help.
Erika Friman, Aguilar’s girlfriend and a Santa Fe College student, said Aguilar’s friends and family volunteered to help police in the search.
Aguilar’s family drove from Miami to look for him, Friman said.
The family also contacted Search and Rescue of Central Florida, a nonprofit volunteer search and rescue organization, for assistance in the search, police said.
The search is ongoing, but Friman, 18, said she, as well as Aguilar’s family, is concerned with finding him.
“We all care about him so much,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking that this would happen to someone who is so good.”
If you have any information, please contact the GPD at (352) 393-7604 or UPD at (352) 392-1111.
Contact Chris Alcantara at calcantara@alligator.org.
