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Saturday, April 20, 2024

UF student wanted for attempted murder in Butler Plaza shooting, three others charged with armed robbery

<p dir="ltr">Investigator Matthew Sides prepares to examine the scene Sunday night  inside of the Jersey Mike’s in Butler Plaza where the wounded man was allegedly brought.</p>

Investigator Matthew Sides prepares to examine the scene Sunday night  inside of the Jersey Mike’s in Butler Plaza where the wounded man was allegedly brought.

Gainesville Police are looking to arrest a UF student on four counts of attempted felony murder after Sunday night’s Butler North Walmart shooting.

On Friday morning, police announced warrants for Robert Duthill Jr, 19, Patrick James Abbott, 20, and Austin Reed Fletcher, 20, for armed robbery, according to a Friday morning release. Khalil Reed, 24, who was first arrested for possession of marijuana Sunday night is now facing four counts of attempted murder.

Reed was released from the Alachua County Jail Monday afternoon, according to police. Fletcher turned himself in Thursday, Abbott’s whereabouts are known but Duthill and Reed are still at large.

Fletcher remains in the Alachua County Jail as of Friday afternoon with no bond, according to county records.

The Alligator called and texted Reed after his release to comment. He did not respond.

Duthill, Fletcher, Abott and another person (who was not charged) arranged to meet Reed in the Walmart parking lot to buy marijuana, according to a sworn complaint affidavit. The four men planned to rob Reed beforehand.

During the deal, Duthill pretended to be buying the marijuana, but while doing so, Fletcher came up to the driver’s side window, pointed a gun at Reed and told him to give up his drugs, police wrote. Duthill then grabbed a bag filled with two-pounds of marijuana, a book, UF course paperwork and jumped out of Reed’s car.

Reed then fired about 15 rounds into and around the other car, hitting Abott, Duthill and Fletcher numerous times while they tried to escape, according to the affidavit.

Nico Diaz, a 22-year-old Jersey Mikes Sub’s employee, told The Alligator Sunday night that a man who was shot ran into the restaurant less than 10 minutes after police say the incident happened. Diaz was unsure of the name of the shot man on Sunday night.

What looked like about a dozen bullet holes filled the windows of a gray-colored Hyundai parked outside of Jersey Mike’s Subs following the incident.  Authorities decked in shirts labeled with “forensic” examined what appeared to be blood on parts of the restaurant’s floor.

Police wrote they later found both cars and the marijuana.

The three shot men were taken to UF Health Shands, according to police in a Monday release. Fletcher, Duthill and the fourth person, who was not arrested, later told police what happened.

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Investigator Matthew Sides prepares to examine the scene Sunday night  inside of the Jersey Mike’s in Butler Plaza where the wounded man was allegedly brought.

Austin Fletcher

Khalil Reed

Patrick Abbott

Robert Duthill

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