Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Antrell Lamar Hamilton, Jr., 22, was arrested early Wednesday morning and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after an officer found a gun and empty shell casings near the path he had taken while running from an officer.

A Gainesville Police Department officer responded to reports of multiple gunshots in the area of the Wawa at 1007 E. University Avenue at about 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday and reportedly saw Hamilton running south on SE 10th Street, clutching his waistband as if he were holding a gun. The officer ordered Hamilton to come to him, and Hamilton reportedly stopped, turned, and ran back north on SE 10th Street. The officer again ordered him to stop, but Hamilton reportedly ran behind a car and ducked down. The officer reported that he heard Hamilton throw a gun under the car, and then Hamilton reportedly walked away.

The officer reported finding a .380 handgun under the car and multiple shell casings along the sidewalk and road where Hamilton was running.

Tyrique Presley was arrested at about the same time in connection with the same incident.

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Post Miranda, Hamilton denied having a gun.

In October 2020, Hamilton was arrested and charged with firing a gun into a residence and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent. All the charges except the firearm possession charge were dropped, and Hamilton was sentenced in February 2021 to five years of probation with 364 days in jail, with adjudication of guilt withheld. In April 2022, he was arrested for marijuana possession. After pleading guilty to violating his probation, he was adjudicated guilty of the firearm possession charge and sentenced to 90 days in jail. The marijuana charges were dropped.

Hamilton has a juvenile criminal history and two felony convictions; he is still on probation from the 2021 conviction. Judge Susan Miller-Jones 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.