Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Timrell Lee Means, 19, was arrested yesterday after allegedly pointing a stolen gun at his brother and threatening to kill him; he later allegedly hid the gun in bushes directly across the street from Williams Elementary.

At about 10:06 a.m. on March 31, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a call from a woman who said Means had pulled a gun on someone during a fight; the caller said Means was holding a black bag and had walked from the neighborhood north of SE 7th Avenue toward Williams Elementary.

A witness, who was described as uncooperative, told the officer that she thought at first that Means and the victim were just talking “reckless,” but then Means pulled out a gun. She said the victim, Means’ brother, was holding a two-year-old child when Means pointed a gun in his face and threatened to kill him.

The officer also reported that she heard a man tell the original caller that he had given Means a gun to hold.

The officer viewed surveillance video from a neighbor’s camera that captured the argument between Means and the victim but did not show Means holding a gun. Means could be seen walking away toward Williams Elementary, holding a black bag. A man could be heard yelling at Means and saying he pulled out a gun.

Another officer made contact with Means in the 1400 block of SE 2nd Avenue, and post Miranda, Means reportedly said the victim arrived at his residence and they were about to fight, but the original caller said she was calling the police and told him to leave, so he left. He denied having a gun or pointing it at the victim but said he had pulled a phone out of his bag; he said the bag was in his room.

Means later reportedly changed his story and admitted having a gun, which he had gotten from the man who was talking to the original caller. He said the victim threatened to kill him and he thought the victim had a gun, so he pulled his gun “a little” from the black bag. He reportedly said the victim was not holding a child during the incident.

Means showed officers the location of the gun, which was reportedly found inside a black bag in some bushes directly across the street from Williams Elementary. The gun had been reported stolen in Gainesville.

Means has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft of a firearm, and domestic aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has juvenile convictions between 2014 and 2023, two adult felony convictions (non-violent), and one adult misdemeanor conviction (non-violent). The convictions were for stealing a car, a gun, and a phone, and he served 364 days in jail after entering a plea of nolo contendere to the charges. He was arrested again in December 2024 for stealing a car, but that case can no longer be found in the court system. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held on $150,000 bail on the new charges.

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.