Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christopher John Schaff, 34, was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony after allegedly threatening a UF Health security guard with a knife.

A University of Florida Police Department officer responded to UF Health Shands at 1600 SW Archer Road at about 5:27 a.m. yesterday, where the victim said Schaff pulled a knife on him after being asked to leave the property. Schaff allegedly made threatening statements to the security guard, including using a racial epithet and threatening to stab him. The victim said Schaff was holding a knife with the blade out while making the threats and that he made “jabbing” motions toward him and then lunged at him.

Schaff reportedly ran toward the VA Hospital when he saw the officer’s patrol car; another officer joined the chase, and Schaff was arrested a short time later.

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A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a pocket knife that the victim identified as the same one used to threaten him. Officers also viewed an iPhone Live Photo that reportedly showed Schaff pulling out the knife and making a slashing motion toward security guards.

Schaff has an Alachua County criminal history going back to 2007; he has four felony convictions (none violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He was found incompetent to stand trial in 2021 after arrests for petit theft, burglary, property damage, and battery on an officer; he was found competent to stand trial about six months later after a stay in the State Hospital and entered a plea of nolo contendere to some of the charges, resulting in a sentence of 364 days in jail with credit for 364 days served. The battery charge was dropped.

Judge Walter Green set bail at $10,000.

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.