A UF student accused of shooting at three men in a parking lot on Sept. 15 was released from jail — law enforcement charged him with attempted murder days after he left but he’s still missing.
Khalil Reed, 24, going on six days of being wanted as of Wednesday, is accused of shooting 15 rounds at men who allegedly stole two pounds of his marijuana at gunpoint outside of Walmart, according to police. Reed was arrested within hours on a drug charge and released Sept. 16.
Police said he was wanted for four counts of attempted murder on Friday.
There wasn’t enough evidence to charge Reed while behind bars due to nuances such as Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, said GPD spokesperson Captain Jorge Campos.
It isn’t clear from law enforcement and prosecutors why Reed wasn’t charged with attempted murder before posting a $30,000 bond. When a court official considered if he would miss future court dates, Reed’s risk level was circled as “low.” The document listed Reed hadn’t been found guilty of any felonies or misdemeanors before his arrest.
As of Tuesday, the investigation is still ongoing and law enforcement officers are still looking for Reed.
The Alligator wasn’t able to reach Reed for comment following his arrest.
The three men Reed shot at are charged with armed robbery as of Friday, according to GPD. One, Austin Fletcher, 20, remains in the Alachua County Jail as of Tuesday night. The other men charged include Robert Duthill Jr, 19 and Patrick James Abbott, 20, according to a Friday morning release.
Daniel Owen, the case’s prosecutor, did not comment, citing it being an open case.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect that Gainesville police did not release Reed from jail, they booked and charged him. The Alachua County courts system bonded him out of jail. The Alligator previously reported otherwise.
Khalil Reed
