Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Michael Jaylon Irving, 20, was arrested yesterday and charged with unlawfully carrying a concealed firearm; the officer reported that the firearm was stolen.

At about 12:37 p.m. yesterday, a Gainesville Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop on Irving’s car for speeding through a school zone at NW 39th Avenue and NW 6th Street. The officer reported that Irving quickly pulled into a nearby parking lot; Irving reportedly admitted that he had taken a right turn onto NW 6th Street quickly because he was in a hurry to get to the DMV to get a hard copy of his driver’s license. The officer reported that Irving seemed unusually nervous and kept reaching into compartments without being asked; Irving also reportedly had a hard time answering questions about his date of birth.

The officer reported that he saw an empty gun holster on the floorboard of the car and patted Irving down. Irving was wearing a “Louis Vuitton” shoulder bag, and the officer reported that when he picked up the bag, he could feel a firearm inside. The officer ran a check of the gun’s serial number and learned that it had been reported stolen in Gainesville on September 2. The gun, a 9mm Sig Sauer with an extended magazine, was loaded with 24 bullets.

Post Miranda, Irving reportedly denied owning the “Louis Vuitton” bag and said he had just acquired it as “an accessory to his outfit.” He also reportedly denied having anything to do with the stolen firearm but admitted taking the empty holster from the bag.

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The officer issued citations for speeding in a school zone and driving with a suspended license. Irving has been charged with carrying a concealed firearm because he is not qualified to carry a concealed firearm under Florida statutes.

Irving is on pre-trial release following an April 2023 arrest for domestic battery and has a juvenile criminal history between 2018 and 2021. Refraining from “criminal activity of any kind” is one of the standard release conditions for defendants who have posted bail.

Judge Walter Green set bail at $8,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.