Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jalyn Javon Scott, 19, was arrested yesterday for allegedly threatening to shoot a woman and then hitting her while she was holding a one-year-old child.

At about 5:45 p.m. on August 5, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a call about an armed disturbance and reported that Scott got into a verbal argument with a family member (the victim) and then pulled a handgun from a bag and threatened to shoot and hit the victim; the victim picked up a one-year-old child because she thought Scott would not hit her while she was holding the child, but Scott allegedly hit her repeatedly, and she dropped the child. Scott allegedly choked the victim, leaving her with injuries that were treated by EMS. The infant reportedly had no visible injuries.

Scott was no longer at the scene when officers arrived, but he reportedly agreed to meet officers about two hours later.

The arresting officer reported that Scott had injuries consistent with being in a physical fight.

Post Miranda, Scott reportedly denied having a firearm and said the victim had started the fight by spitting on him and punching him in the face. He denied choking the victim and said he only held her hands down; he denied ever hitting the victim. He initially denied putting the victim on the ground but reportedly admitted after some time that the victim had ended up sitting on the ground. He reportedly said the infant was behind the victim and that the victim had caused the infant to fall to the ground during the fight.

A witness reportedly said the victim hit Scott and spat on him, and Scott and the victim had gotten into a physical fight; the witness said Scott had pinned the victim’s arms and placed her on the ground and that the child was behind the victim and fell to the ground.

Scott, the victim, and the witness all reportedly confirmed that the infant had fallen to the floor.

Scott has been charged with domestic battery by strangulation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, child abuse without great bodily harm, and domestic battery. He has juvenile convictions between 2020 and 2023 but no adult convictions. He was arrested in March for drug possession and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent and was released on $45,000 bail with the condition that he may not possess firearms; formal charges were filed in May.

Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $135,000 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.