Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jaileen Damaris Pagan, 26, was arrested early this morning and charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and drug possession after allegedly shooting at two people at Lexington Crossing Apartments.

One of the victims told a Gainesville Police Department officer that she had gotten into an argument with Pagan at about 1:55 a.m. while Pagan was sitting in her car. The victim said Pagan grabbed her by her hair and pulled her into the car through the window, and while trying to free herself, she saw a small blue handgun in the car. The victim said she ran back to the car where the second victim was waiting. After she got in the car, the two victims heard a gunshot coming from Pagan’s car and drove away quickly, leaving the first victim’s cell phone behind. The officer noted that the first victim’s hair was disheveled.

At the scene, officers reportedly recovered a shell casing and the first victim’s cell phone. Officers saw Pagan leaving her apartment and reportedly saw her bending over between cars; a small blue handgun was reportedly found under a car near where she was contacted by officers. The gun matched the description provided by the victim, and the shell casing matched the caliber of the gun.

Read Related Also: Developing: Nearly 7 Years Later, Georgia Man Charged with Murder in Beloved Dad-of-three’s Death

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a broken pill that was later identified as Xanax, three small rock-like substances, and a handgun magazine. A search of Pagan’s car reportedly produced a backpack containing two boxes of ammunition.

Post Miranda, Pagan reportedly said the rock-like substances were either fentanyl or heroin and admitted ownership of the gun but said she only took it out to defend herself because she was being attacked by multiple people. She reportedly said that the gun went off unintentionally because it has a sensitive trigger. The officer noted that Pagan did not have any visible injuries; the officer also noted that Pagan originally said she had gone downtown earlier in the evening and had come straight home without having contact with anyone, and the statement about being battered contradicted the earlier statement.

Pagan has no criminal history; Judge Walter Green set bail at $22,000.

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.