Staff Report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have arrested two individuals following an alleged gun-related incident involving four women at a McDonald’s parking lot on East University Avenue. James Thomas Edwards III, 24, and Chandrae Israel Perry, 19, were taken into custody yesterday after the incident came to light.

The Gainesville Police Department received a call at approximately 6:48 p.m. on January 26, reporting that someone in a silver vehicle was brandishing firearms at several individuals. The call, however, was abruptly disconnected when the dispatcher attempted to obtain the caller’s identity.

Upon arriving at the scene, officers identified a silver vehicle in a nearby business parking lot, believing its occupants could be involved in the reported incident. While approaching the vehicle, officers detected the distinct smell of burnt marijuana. However, a subsequent search did not uncover any marijuana or firearms.

The four occupants were separated for individual questioning. One of the women recounted an encounter with Edwards at the McDonald’s parking lot, where she had stopped to address a previous conflict. She alleged that Edwards brandished a handgun, pointing it at her upon exiting her car. She supported her claim with a cell phone video purportedly showing Edwards in the grassy area of the McDonald’s, extending his arm toward her, though the footage did not clearly show a weapon. Officers also reviewed a voice message from Edwards, in which he purportedly stated he “stays strapped,” implying he carries a firearm regularly.

A second occupant of the vehicle corroborated the first woman’s story, and she said she was so scared when she saw the gun that she crawled into the driver’s seat of the car and yelled at the first woman to get back in the vehicle. When the first woman was back in the vehicle, the second woman drove to a nearby business and called 911.

The other two occupants reportedly said that they saw Edwards pointing a gun at their vehicle, so they ducked down.

Perry reportedly rode by on a scooter with another person while officers were interviewing the occupants of the silver vehicle, and officers learned that they had possibly been involved in the incident, so an officer approached Perry and told him to stop. Perry reportedly said “No” several times and drove away east on University Avenue.

At this point, officers believed Perry had a firearm, and an officer followed him in a patrol vehicle until Perry arrived at the Food Mart (20 NE Waldo Road), where the officer reportedly got out of his patrol vehicle and drew his firearm. Perry eventually surrendered and was placed in handcuffs.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small amount of marijuana; no firearm was found.

Post Miranda, Perry reportedly said he had driven to McDonald’s to check on his cousin, who was involved in the firearm incident. He later reportedly asked whether Edwards would get in trouble if he had used a BB gun during the incident.

Edwards reportedly turned himself in a few hours later, after learning he was wanted.

Post Miranda, Edwards reportedly said he had been walking into McDonald’s when a car pulled into the parking lot and 6-8 girls jumped out of the vehicle. He said two of them had guns and threatened him with the guns. He said he called the police and left the area, and when the police arrived, a police officer told him to leave the area, so he left until he learned that officers were looking for him. He said he never had a gun or a BB gun.

Edwards said the women who called 911 may have thought his cell phone was a handgun. He said he had not messaged any of the women since the previous day.

Edwards has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has no criminal convictions; he was arrested in July 2025 after a domestic battery incident, but the charges were later dropped. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $60,000, with release conditions of a GPS monitor and a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. except for work and school purposes.

Perry has been charged with possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and resisting an officer without violence. He has no criminal history, and Judge Rawls ordered him released on his own recognizance.

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.