By the Staff

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Wednesday, 31-year-old Mykell Torrence Hicks was taken into custody, facing charges of discharging a firearm in a public space. This follows allegations that he unleashed a volley of 17 bullets in the parking lot of Phoenix Apartments.

The incident unfolded around 4:20 p.m. on January 3 when the Gainesville Police Department received multiple reports of gunfire at 3200 SW 26th Way, the location of Phoenix Apartments. Upon arrival, officers gathered accounts from witnesses who described seeing several individuals rushing into a nearby apartment after the shots were heard. Five individuals, including Hicks, eventually emerged from the unit.

During questioning, Hicks reportedly explained that upon stepping out of his apartment, he noticed an unidentified individual aiming a firearm in his direction. In response, he sought cover behind a vehicle and retrieved his own pistol from his waistband. Hicks mentioned hearing several shots but was uncertain if they were directed at him. He then observed the unknown person firing at a group to the north of the complex, prompting him to return fire with approximately 17 rounds.

After discharging his weapon, Hicks reportedly retreated back into the apartment, placing his gun on a counter. He was unsure if any of his shots struck individuals, though he speculated that one might have hit the window of a nearby black Cadillac.

The officer noted that Hicks shot multiple rounds “recklessly” in an apartment complex, with multiple residents and citizens in the area.

Officers reportedly found multiple shell casings in the parking lot near the area where Hicks said he fired the shots.

Officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment, and the search reportedly produced about 491.3 grams of marijuana in Hicks’s bedroom, along with resealable baggies and a scale; the quantity is “indicative of someone who sells narcotics.”

Hicks has been charged with firing a weapon in public and possession of marijuana with intent to sell. He has no local criminal convictions, and Judge Phillip Pena set bail at $175,000.

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.