Gainesville Man Arrested on Warrant for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Marqi Allen Branch, 29, was arrested on Thursday on a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 

Branch reportedly got into an argument with someone he used to be in a relationship with and threatened to kill her because she was dating someone else. 

The victim told Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Officer Darren Graham that Branch pulled out an assault rifle and aimed it at her head while stating he would shoot her. 

The victim showed Graham a Facebook video of Branch holding the rifle and said it was the same weapon he threatened to kill her with. 

The victim also had text messages from Branch saying he pointed the gun at her as a joke and that he was sorry. Branch excused his actions, saying the gun wasn’t working. 

A witness told Graham that Branch “did not at any time point a rifle at the victim.” 

The witness called Branch and told him Graham wanted to talk. Branch said to give Graham his phone number but didn’t respond after being called. 

Branch has no bond pending a pretrial detention motion by the State Attorney’s Office.