Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lagarius Joseph Johnson, 19, and Mykeem Jameel Isaiah Kimbrough, 18, who were both already in the Alachua County Jail, have been charged with attempted homicide in connection with the August 2023 Verdant Cove shooting.

At about 7:04 p.m. on August 15, 2023, multiple calls were received about gunshots fired in the area of Verdant Cove Apartments (4182 SE 10th Pl.). Nobody was injured in the shooting, but five unoccupied vehicle were hit by bullets, and 21 spent 9 mm shell casings were found near building 4182.

Video surveillance reportedly showed a dark-colored Chevrolet Equinox driving through the complex at about 7:01 p.m. and then parking near the building where the shooting occurred. At 7:03 p.m., a tall, slender person emerged from the area where the Equinox was parked, walked to the southwest corner of building 4182, and jumped from around the corner. The video reportedly shows “numerous clouds of smoke,” and 21 shell casings were found in that area.

A group of people who had been in the parking lot started running, including two small children. The shooter appeared to track one specific person across the parking lot. After the shooting stopped, the shooter ran back to the area where the Equinox was parked, and the Equinox was seen leaving the complex a short time later.

Cameras reportedly captured the license plate of the Equinox, and deputies learned that it belonged to someone associated with Kimbrough, who is known to “frequent” Village Green Apartments.

Video surveillance from Village Green Apartments reportedly showed the Equinox arriving at 7:14 p.m., and three people got out of the vehicle. Two of the occupants were identified as Johnson and Kimbrough; the third person is reportedly unidentified.

Deputies interviewed the person who seemed to be the target of the Verdant Cove shooting and learned that he was a member of a “group which is a ‘rival’ or opposition” group to Johnson and Kimbrough. According to the arrest report, “There have been numerous documented incidents including shootings between these two groups.”

The shooting may be related to another shooting later the same evening at Majestic Oaks. Johnson’s cell phone records reportedly show that he was in the area of Verdant Cove during the shooting, at Village Green a short time later, and near Majestic Oaks at the time of that shooting. Ballistic reports reportedly show that shell casings recovered from Verdant Cove and Majestic Oaks were shot from the same gun.

After Kimbrough was arrested in February on separate charges, a search warrant was obtained for his phone, and multiple images of Johnson and Kimbrough were reportedly found on the phone, with both men holding firearms.

Johnson has been charged with attempted first-degree homicide, firing a weapon in public, possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent, and firing a weapon into a vehicle or dwelling. He has juvenile convictions for burglary of a vehicle, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, grand theft, and possession of a firearm by a minor under 18. He has an adult felony conviction (violent) for battering a detention officer and was sentenced to 270 days in jail with adjudication of guilt withheld; another charge for battering a detainee was dropped as part of the plea deal. He was arrested on April 22 on charges of possession of a machine gun, possession of a firearm by a delinquent under 24 (a juvenile who was previously convicted of a charge that would be a felony for an adult), grand theft of a firearm, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of drug equipment, and resisting an officer without violence. Bail on the previous charges was set at $145,000.

Kimbrough has been charged with attempted first-degree homicide. He was arrested in February and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, grand theft of a motor vehicle, theft, improper display of a firearm, and property damage. He has a juvenile criminal conviction. Bail on the previous charges was set at $155,000.

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.