A Hawthorne man was arrested Friday for a September shooting in the downtown Checkers and Rally’s parking lot that wounded one bystander.
Gainesville Police said Deshawn Montez Sanders, 20, was identified by witnesses who saw him and a raised white truck he was in during a shooting Sept. 15. The shooting happened as bars were closing downtown near Rain Nightclub & Lounge, located at 238 W. University Ave., according to a sworn complaint.
Half an hour later, another shooting between two groups at the parking lot of Checkers and Rally’s and Taco Bell, located at 826 W. University Ave., wounded a 17-year-old, who was not involved in the confrontation. The victim was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital and survived the fragmented bullet in his head.
The victim said the altercation started when a group in the truck played “No Smoke,” a rap song, as an insult to another group, according to the sworn complaint.
The driver, who was identified by witnesses, and a passenger in the truck told police Sanders got into the truck with a gun.
Sanders told the passenger he was sorry for getting involved in the Checkers shooting, but he was upset a friend of his was hurt during the earlier shooting that night, according to the sworn complaint.
Sanders was arrested on a charge of attempted murder and taken to the Alachua County Jail where he remains, as of press time, in lieu of a $250,000 bond.
