Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kenyatta Jermaine Patterson, Jr., 26, was arrested yesterday and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening to shoot a man holding a baby.

A Gainesville Police Department officer responded at 11:30 p.m. Friday night to a call from a man who said Patterson had threatened to shoot him while he was walking with his baby at their apartment complex (the location of the incident was redacted on the report). The victim told the officer that as he was walking to his apartment, holding his baby, he got into a verbal argument with Patterson, and the victim allegedly told Patterson he would “beat” him. The victim said he saw a gun in Patterson’s hand and that he told him to put the gun down so they could fight.

The victim said that Patterson chambered a round in the gun without pointing it at him and said, “I’ll burn you.” The victim said he told Patterson not to shoot him because he had kids and went back to his apartment, where he called 911.

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Editor’s note: other media outlets are reporting that Patterson pointed the gun at the victim and his baby. The arrest report is unclear; it says, “[Patterson] then without pointed his gun at the [victim] chambered a round in his firearm.” We are interpreting this as stating that he did not point the gun at the victim and his baby.

The officer made contact with Patterson, who reportedly said he was standing outside with his gun in his hand, watching the victim argue with someone else. After that argument was over, Patterson said, the victim asked him what he was looking at and threatened to “beat” him. Patterson reportedly said he didn’t say anything to the victim but chambered a round in the gun; he said the victim continued to threaten him while walking back to his apartment.

Patterson has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. He has no criminal history and has been released from jail; the bail amount is currently unavailable.

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.