Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Juanquavious Kiron Al’fryn Jackson, 18, was arrested yesterday for an armed robbery and shooting at Zaxby’s on Main Street on October 21; Jackson also allegedly shot at Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Deputies who encountered him a short time later.

At about 9:10 p.m. on October 21, Jackson allegedly entered Zaxby’s at 1 NW 10th Avenue with a gun; he was dressed all in black and wearing black gloves and a mask that partially covered the lower part of his face. He allegedly pointed the gun at two employees and said, “Give me the money.” When they did not immediately respond, he allegedly shot at them. One bullet hit directly next to one employee, at the height of her head; the second employee jumped out the drive-thru window and ran. The first employee dropped to the floor and then also jumped out the window.

Jackson allegedly went through the employee door to the cash registers; when he was unable to open the cash registers, he went to the office, opened the unlocked safe, and took out three cash drawers. The sworn complaint notes that the robber appeared to have prior knowledge of the location of the office and safe. Jackson allegedly took about $1,625 and fled on foot.

The second employee told a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer that she immediately recognized Jackson as a Zaxby’s employee who had worked there for about a month. She said Jackson did not show up for his scheduled shift on the night of the incident or the next night.

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On October 23, a witness who saw GPD’s release with the suspect’s description contacted GPD and said she had seen a man at about 5:44 p.m. on October 21–the same day as the Zaxby’s incident–approaching the Circle K at 3838 N. Main Street. She said the man was wearing all black and was putting on gloves but was not wearing a mask. She said that when the man saw a patrol car parked at the store, he walked away and removed the gloves. She said she felt at the time that the man was planning to rob the store. A GPD officer reviewed surveillance video from the Circle K and saw that the man who approached the store was wearing the same clothing as the Zaxby’s robber and had the same build and skin tone. The witness identified Jackson in a photo line-up.

According to information posted by GPD, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team responded to track the suspect; during the track, the Combined Communications Center received a call about a person walking around carrying a handgun. The ASO K-9 team went to the area indicated by the caller and located the suspect, who reportedly fired at deputies after being given verbal commands to stop; the suspect then fled. An Alachua Police Department K-9 team responded and joined the effort to track the suspect.

Charges for shooting at the deputies do not appear to have been added yet; Jackson has a separate charge for resisting an officer without violence, but no documents are attached to that docket yet.

Jackson has been charged with armed robbery, two counts of attempted homicide, and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent. He has a juvenile conviction for grand theft of a motor vehicle and fleeing from law enforcement in a 2021 case. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $500,000.

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.