Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – An altercation between panhandlers led to the arrest of Carl Milton Babb, 65, who faces charges after allegedly brandishing a butcher knife during a feud over panhandling rights.
Around 1:55 p.m. on June 27, officers from the Gainesville Police Department arrived at the intersection of NE Waldo Road and NE 39th Avenue. They observed the alleged victim pointing urgently towards Babb, who stood approximately 300 feet away.
According to the victim, he was merely tending to his affairs at the corner when Babb approached to engage in a confrontation over their begging territory. During the dispute, Babb reportedly wielded a large knife and issued threats on his life, instilling fear.
In response, the victim claims he retreated and began signaling vehicles, urging them to alert authorities, as he lacked a phone. He also stated that Babb subsequently retreated into the woods and reemerged without the weapon.
Two independent witnesses said they were in the turn lane at the intersection when they heard the men arguing and saw Babb reach into a pile of his belongings and pull out a large butcher knife; they said they knew it was a knife because it reflected the sun. They said that after Babb threatened the victim, he ran into the woods and came out without the knife.
Post Miranda, Babb reportedly said he had argued with the victim, but he never had a knife and did not threaten the victim with a knife.
Officers searched the nearby woods and were unable to find the knife.
Babb, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He is a designated violent felony offender of special concern who has 24 felony convictions (four violent) and 12 misdemeanor convictions (two violent); he has served nine state prison sentences and was most recently released in May 2025. He was released from the Alachua County Jail on March 31, 2026, after serving 120 days for violating probation. Judge Joy Danne set bail at $50,000.
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.