METRO  |  CRIME

Former Gainesville Police Department K-9 officer alleges racism within the unit

By Omar Ateyah | Sep. 9

Edward Ratliff, a Black 13-year veteran of the force, alleged white officers casually used racial slurs within the K-9 unit through multiple uses of the n-word. This includes an incident where, in light of a K-9’s euthanization, a white officer said the dog “bit a lot of n—s.”

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METRO  |  CRIME

‘I can’t see’: Gainesville Police Department release graphic K-9 mauling body camera footage, officers suspended

By Lucille Lannigan | Sep. 9

GPD showed never-before-seen body camera footage at a Thursday press conference about their K-9 encounter with 31-year-old Terrell Bradley, who was stopped for an alleged traffic violation July 10 and then fled from the officer after allegedly striking him with his elbow.

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METRO  |  CRIME

UF students report being shot with BB gun near campus

By Alexa Herrera | Sep. 7

The Alligator interviewed three UF students who said they were shot with what they believe to be a BB gun by people driving in a beat-up tan and gold car last week. Students in the area have circulated multiple threads on Reddit sharing similar stories and concerns. 

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METRO  |  CRIME

Hawthorne man sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for production of child pornography

By Claire Grunewald | Sep. 2

A Hawthorne man who was originally arrested in Gainesville was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for creating child pornography. 

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METRO  |  CRIME

Man arrested in Gainesville sentenced to more than 38 years in federal prison for drug charges

By Christian Casale | Aug. 31

Thomas was initially arrested Sept. 9, 2020, when he was stopped by Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force deputies on I-75 in Gainesville.

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METRO  |  CRIME

2 Gainesville Police Department officers hospitalized after exposure to suspected opioids during an arrest

By Lily Kino | Aug. 29

Two Gainesville Police Department officers were given an opioid overdose treatment Sunday after being exposed to suspected narcotics during an arrest.

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METRO  |  CRIME

Gainesville 3-year-old child fatally shot with firearm from unlocked case

By Lily Kino | Aug. 25

A 3-year-old boy died after shooting himself with a firearm he found in an unlocked case, according to a Gainesville Police Department press release.

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METRO  |  CRIME

Gainesville police arrest suspect involved in killing outside GRACE Marketplace

By Omar Ateyah | Aug. 12

Police charged James Lawrence, a 55-year-old man whose address is listed at the shelter, with premeditated first-degree murder after responding to a call around 7:50 a.m. about a man found dead outside of the shelter.

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METRO  |  CRIME

City officials, GPD respond to white supremacist flyers in Gainesville neighborhoods

By Omar Ateyah | Aug. 10

Gainesville residents in multiple neighborhoods received flyers at their homes over the weekend condemning race-mixing and positing a Jewish conspiracy in an incident now under investigation by the Gainesville Police Department. 

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METRO  |  CRIME

Gainesville man arrested for child pornography, lewd material

By Omar Ateyah | July 29

A Gainesville resident used Snapchat to interact with a 13-year-old girl in a sexually explicit way and also obtained a nude picture from her. 

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METRO  |  CRIME

Alachua County breaks ground on new trail, man arrested in nature walk sexual harassment incident

By Fernando Figueroa | July 25

Alachua County Public Works began construction on a new trail along Archer Road July 14, nine days after a man allegedly sexually harassed a woman on the popular nearby Hawthorne Trail. 

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METRO  |  CRIME

Gainesville police make arrests in home invasion killing

By Omar Ateyah | July 23

Gainesville Police arrested four Gainesville residents, including a man defending his home, in connection to a home invasion that led to the death of a woman this week.

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METRO  |  CRIME

Judge releases man mauled by K-9

By Omar Ateyah | July 22

Terrell Bradley was mauled by a Gainesville Police Department K-9 July 10, when police pulled him over for an alleged traffic violation and he then fled. .

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METRO  |  CRIME

Sheriff’s son faces charge for driving with suspended license

By Omar Ateyah | July 22

Police served a warrant to 30-year-old Clovis Watson IV early Thursday morning at the Alachua County jail. The court released Watson on the condition he not drive without a valid license.