Officers with the Gainesville Police Department (GPD) arrested a man who they said began stalking a victim before hitting them in the back of the head with a hammer.
GPD officers arrested JDG, 58, of Yellowknife, Ala. Friday afternoon around 4:30 p.m.
Authorities said the incident took place in the Gainesville Plaza shopping mall, located at 2601 Northwest 13th Street.
Officers said on Friday afternoon, G entered an unnamed store with the victim, and according to the arrest report, they did not know each other or previously spoken to each other, other than ask for directions.
Authorities said in the store, G began stalking the victim from a distance, concealing or altering his appearance.
According to the arrest report, as other customers left the area, G removed a hammer from his bag and slowly approached the victim from behind, before “viciously and aggressively” striking the victim in the back of the head 3 times.
Police said the victim turned around and blocked the fourth blow before running away and alerting authorities.
After the attack, authorities said G went to the bathrooms and came out approaching deputies in different clothes. The victim identified G as their attacker to authorities.
Police said they checked the bathrooms and found the hammer behind one of the toilets in the men’s restroom.
Once police received surveillance footage, they confirmed G as the subject who hit the victim in the head with the hammer.
Post-Miranda, G admitted to authorities that he had been on the bus with the victim and was walking to the location of the incident with the victim walking closely behind him. G admitted to authorities he owned the hammer, but denied attacking the victim.
He was booked into the Alachua County Jail around 5:30 p.m. Friday with no bond or trial date set yet, as of this article’s publication.
G faces charges of attempted felony murder and tampering with physical evidence. His address is listed as GRACE Marketplace.
According to Alachua County Court records, GPD officers also filed charges against G for possession of drugs and drug equipment on Sunday. He will be tried as a felon.
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Source: wcjb
