Man Killed in Shooting at Tiger Bay Apartments
Edited | April 21: Corrected time of shooting.
The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) has announced that they responded to a homicide at Tiger Bay Apartments at approximately 11:40 am on Friday.
The victim’s father identified him to TV20 as 25-year-old Wilber Perez.
Police audio from the date and time of the shooting shows that one of the dispatchers stated over their radio that the only description they had of the suspect was that he's a tall and skinny Black teenager of about 15 years of age.
The suspect’s clothing description did not appear to be affirmative, with multiple descriptions being stated and suspected; however, it appears he was wearing a short sleeved shirt and shorts of a bright color.
His shorts were primarily described as “yellow or orange.” However, some officers suspected people near the scene who were wearing red shorts of being the shooter.
One officer stated, “Southwest corner of Cone Park Field, somebody came out with red shorts it looked like and went back in towards the apartments.”
Another officer said, “Stand by, I'm making contact with a kid with orange or red shorts and a black shirt. He's carrying a basketball.”
One of the responding officers remarked that a witness told officers the shooter fled to a nearby breezeway East of the complex after the homicide. Officers investigated the breezeway but did not locate the suspect.
The officers suspected the shooter could've fled outside of the complex, with one officer telling others to create a perimeter around SE 31st St off Hawthorne Road and SE 24th St off University Avenue. They additionally held a response around building 4, where the shooting occurred.
An aviation unit was additionally requested in response, with one officer stating, “Air 1s just about over me,” indicating the unit was deployed.
It was not directly stated in the audio if a K-9 unit was dispatched, however, it's possible, with officers stating, “I'm 51 with the dog,” and “I'm with Juliet 4, dogs on the ground; we’re going to go check this breezeway.”
The circumstances under which Perez was killed were not confirmed over police radio, but the audio shows responding dispatchers momentarily believed he was only in a vehicular accident due to him crashing into a building, before being advised by the caller that someone shot her boyfriend.
Perez’s injuries haven’t been independently verified, however, officers initially believed he was shot in the head before they came to the conclusion that he had been hit by two bullets to each shoulder and his head injuries were from head trauma due to the crash.
GPD said in their Facebook post that the investigation is ongoing and that information is limited. As of this writing, no arrests have been reported. They said anyone with information on the incident should contact Detective Williams at (352) 393-7681, or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867.
GPD Audio:
Source: Broadcastify
1. Some audio quality is poor and there may be mistakes. Codes have been put in to flag possible inaccuracies:
(GARBLED): Cannot make the audio out.
(?): Audio is difficult to make out/uncertainty in what was said.
2. Police code will be marked in bold.
3. Speakers have been associated with numbers, however, they may become incorrect as the number of speakers increases.
Disclaimer: Audio that references incidents other than this shooting has not been transcribed and is disregarded from this transcript.
Audio file 1: April 19th, 11:19 am - 11:49 am
25:47 Speaker 1: 484 Southeast 24th drive Tiger bay caller was screaming, sounds like she said(?) something wrecked into the building, drivers slumped over. I think he may be signal 7. Three people involved, hear a lot of screaming talking about a (GARBLED) The lines are just ringing non-stop. (GARBLED)
27:09 Speaker 1: GPD channel 1 Now they're advising someone shot in Tiger Bay 484 Southeast 24th drive. All units to channel 2.
27:19 Speaker 2: 767 26.
27:20 Speaker 1: The units with me(?) put y'all on traffic now I'm being advised someone was shot. 220 units GPD channel 1 10-33 signal 4PI(?) now they're advising someone's shot in Tiger Bay 484 Southeast 24th drive. All units to channel 2.
27:37 Speaker 2: November 4 Juliet 4 (GARBLED) 97 now.
27:40 Speaker 3: Gonna be at the complex 1065 1028.
27:43 Speaker 4: Tower 1. Engine 3. District 1 to rescue 34 responding up to an (GARBLED) over at 484 southeast 24th drive Tiger Bay Apartments. 484 southeast 24th drive Tiger Bay Apartments. There also may be a person shot. Caller was screaming on the phone. Call taker advised that it sounds like they wrecked into a building. Caller is now advising that someone shot her boyfriend.
28:12 Speaker 2: Rescue 24 engine 24 are you familiar with the entrance there.
28:21 Speaker 1: (GARBLED) let me know what you got.
28:25 Speaker 4: GPD does have units in route they're pulling in on scene we do not have scene secure currently 11-45.
28:37 Speaker 3: (GARBLED) We have witnesses on the scene saying one of the shooters is still on scene. He's in the second breezeway just South of the complex where our cars are.
28:44 Speaker 1: Shooters still on scene.
28:47 Speaker 5: I'll sound(?) the complex.
29:12 Speaker 4: The shooters still gonna be currently on scene in the breezeway caller advised that her boyfriend may be signal 7.
29:26 Speaker 3: Southside just look at our cars on the map it's gonna be Southeast 24 Terrace. Haley's gonna be in the vehicle with our victim.
29:34 Speaker 4: Alright let me know so we can start setting up a perimeter.
29:37 Speaker 3: Oh and just sit up at dollar general (?) and then we're gonna
29:40 Speaker 6: Alachua rescue, (GARBLED) for rescue 23.
29:44 Speaker 2: 222 for 23.
29:48 Speaker 6: District 1 message received.
Audio File 2: April 19th, 11:49 am - 12:19 pm
00:29 Speaker 3: I just need a couple more units to us I'm gonna try and clear where the shooter is and someone needs to help Haley.
00:36 Speaker 7: Stand by on that I'm 51 with the dog.
00:40 Speaker 2: Alright I've got one adult male, he's got no pulse. Gunshot wound to the head.
00:50 Speaker 3: Any units that could be in route from channel 1's call advised.
00:55 Speaker 4: Patients gonna be an adult male with no pulse who was shot in the head.
01:01 Speaker 1: Units let me know when EMS can come in.
01:04 Speaker 3: I'll try to bring them in.
01:07 Speaker 1: Juliet 4 bring in EMS.
01:20 Speaker 4: GPD on scene is advising EMS can come in.
01:25 Speaker 2: Can I get a description of the shooter?
01:29 Speaker 3: The female is saying that she didn't see him or what he looked like.
01:35 Speaker 8: When safe to do so make sure you lock down the entrances to Tiger Bay.
01:41 Speaker 2: From channel 1 I can give you a perimeter since the units on scene are busy. Southeast Hawthorne Road and Southeast 31st Street. Southeast 24th and Hawthorne, University and Hawthorne and then University and 24th. University and that's gonna be right in front of the library over there.
02:37 Speaker 1: Any units be advised one of the callers is now saying it was a skinny Black male, dark skin.
02:40 Speaker 3: Copy to Hawthorne and 31st Southeast 24th and Hawthorne East in Hawthorne and East in front of the library is that 10-4.
02:53 Speaker 2: They can adjust it if they need to.
03:16 Speaker 1: About 15 years of age ran into the breezeway, short sleeve, yellow or orange shorts. Went into the second breezeway.
03:27 Speaker 4: Shooter ran East from what we're getting here. He's supposed to be up in one of these breezeways. 1121 to 462 to my approved.
03:34 Speaker 8: Approved.
03:37 Speaker 2: Juliet 4 if nobodys updated this yet this is an obvious signal 7 at this point.
03:42 Speaker 4: 11-21 I'm with juliet 4 dogs on the ground were gonna go check this breezeway.
04:13 Speaker 2: 11-21 can you read me the suspect description one more time?
04:18 Speaker 1: Most recent call: dark, skinny, about 15 years of age, ran into the breezeway. Short sleeve, yellow or orange shorts.
04:27 Speaker 8: District 6 tower 1, (GARBLED) we got one vehicle into a building, there doesn't appear to be any structural damage. We got one victim down on the ground (GARBLED).
04:44 Speaker 6: Copy advised one vehicle in the building one victim down being accessed(?) (GARBLED).
05:10 Speaker 4: 11-21 This breezeway is gonna be clear. I'm gonna try and cast em out and see if we can pick up anything.
05:15 Speaker 3: (GARBLED) disregard.
05:45 Speaker 2: Can you get a hold of forensics and detectives please we need them in route.
05:52 Speaker 8: 981 reference detectives are already in route.
05:54 Speaker 4: He went further outside of Tiger Bay.
05:56 Speaker 8: We need at least one unit on the power line(?) cut to the North.
06:00 Speaker 4: Gonna try to track him, set an actual perimeter.
06:08 Speaker 2: Lake road 2600 East, 2400 East, 4th lane, and Southeast 24th street. Lets go Hawthorne road and around 9th Place where it cuts to the Sheriff's office and the plaza over by where the shopping center is for now. There's also that dead-end road that's just East of it that dead ends North. East of Tiger Bay, get a unit over there.
06:43 Speaker 4: There's gonna be a 10 minute time notification on a gunshot patient cardiac arrest 152.
06:57 Speaker 2: Tower 4 I'll be at the power line road to the North.
07:00 Speaker 1: Power line road to the North.
07:04 Speaker 4: I got entrance to cone park on University 10-4.
07:13 Speaker 6: Got one male patient GSW to the head (GARBLED) we have a female that's emotionally upset they're checking on her as well.
07:20 Speaker 8: You start tracking yet?
07:22 Speaker 4: Yeah I'm tracking it out from this breezeway and we're trying to work on picking something up.
07:29 Speaker 8: Alright where you are? I'm gonna link up with you.
07:30 I have (GARBLED) with me we're still over here I guess would be East of our cars in the complex still.
07:38 Speaker 6: Message received one male patient gunshot wound to the head accessing at this time. Female also emotionally upset, checking on her as well.
07:48 Speaker 8: 2500 Hawthorne at the dead-end by the church.
08:21 Speaker 2: (GARBLED) j4, and myself.
08:28 Speaker 1: 10-49(?) (GARBLED) and Juliet 4 y'all are tracking.
08:33 Speaker 2: From the area (GARBLED)
08:47 Speaker 9: Engine 4 is on scene (GARBLED) it's gonna be investigative mode.
08:54 Speaker 10: The male victim has one shot to the left shoulder, one shot to the right shoulder, and head trauma appears from the accident.
09:15 Speaker 4: Southwest corner of Cone park field somebody came out with red shorts it looked like and went back in towards the apartments. If a unit can get all the way down whatever this last road is here, 25th terrace, 26th terrace, and get to the Southside and take a look.
09:34 Speaker 2: Bobby do you have drone capabilities and do you need a release to fly it?
09:38 Speaker 4: I don't have it with me, it'd take too long to go get it.
09:55 Speaker 6: Message received male victim one shot to the left shoulder, one shot to the right shoulder, head trauma appears from the accident.
10:01 Speaker 2: Gainesville can you check the hangars to see if we have an air cruiser.
10:09 Speaker 4: Do we have a shirt description? This looked like red shorts maybe and a white shirt.
10:12 Speaker 3: It's gonna be a black T-shirt.
10:19 Speaker 6: Just an update so after going over the head, lots of blood loss but no bullet holes to the head there's two bullet holes to each there(?)
10:31 Speaker 5: Do you guys have that crime scene locked down? Until I get there with tape.
10:36 Speaker 6: (GARBLED) right now but yeah we've got it.
10:47 Speaker 2: We're working a little Southeast, just South of the pool.
10:51 Speaker 4: 11-20 I'm gonna (GARBLED)
11:30 Speaker 8: (GARBLED) Black male red shorts (GARBLED) shirt.
11:37 Speaker 2: Just when we can, let's get someone to the office and get a list of evidence (GARBLED) if you wipe that area a little bit but he could've ran upstairs into an apartment.
12:20 Speaker 4: We're in the woods, South of building 3 now. On the Southside of a six foot wood fence.
12:26 Speaker 2: if they wanna 549(?) 43 don't have anybody East of that church. if you guys break East of that church we'll have to flip flop.
12:36 Speaker 4: Jamie just posted up East on Hawthorne so we should be fine.
12:43 Speaker 2: Ron we're still trying to pick up something I'll let you know.
12:46 Speaker 4: Now we're at 26th Street and Hawthorne road just let me know if I need to go a little bit further East.
13:07 Speaker 4: 549 was that for me?
13:09 Speaker 2: Yeah they're trying to get an air crew together I guess.
13:16 Speaker 4: Yeah could we make that a special request?
13:18 Speaker 1: Yes sir, my supervisor is working on it right now.
(GARBLED)
13:28 Speaker 6: Patient signal 7 (GARBLED) the other female no injury. All units release (GARBLED).
13:38 Speaker 4: You guys have access to the camera out there?
13:40 Speaker 8: I'm gonna check on that as soon as I'm done with this. It (GARBLED) take me one minute.
13:48 Speaker 1: (GARBLED) in about 5 and be in route to us.
13:55 Speaker 4: Message received one patient signal 7 (GARBLED) other female no injuries all units released scene turn over to LEA.
14:16 Speaker 1: Air 2 is willing to come but they've got to get approval. So they're still working on that part on their end.
14:22 Speaker 2: I got on 26th Street on a bike with orange shorts coming towards me.
14:35 Speaker 8: (GARBLED) Charlie, gulf, 94, bravo, romeo, gonna be a gold Honda four-door.
14:43 Speaker 6: There's some superficial damage to the building itself but there's no hazards(?)
14:51 Speaker 11: Message received there was damage to the building but no hazards to the building.
14:56 Speaker 1: 54-29 2008 Honda four door silver in color registered to our victim.
15:12 Speaker 4: Did you say you ruled out red shorts white shirt?
15:31 Speaker 2: I need one more unit to the crime scene to take over the crime scene (GARBLED.)
16:11 Speaker 4: (GARBLED) Units pulling in the complex now (GARBLED)
16:20 Speaker 11: I'm available if you need me to go somewhere.
17:02 Speaker 5: You guys getting anything on the track?
17:10 Speaker 4: No, we're towards the East of the complex now. I'm just passing them out in the woods(?) over here towards the East and seeing if he picks anything up.
17:19 Speaker 2: We're in a wooded area just West of the complex just North of (GARBLED).
17:30 Speaker 4: Perimeter looks good. I just drove it. (GARBLED)
17:37 Speaker 12: (GARBLED) headed your way if someone could advise the description, direction you wanting me looking(?)
17:53 Speaker 1: The only(?) description they have is tall, dark, skinny, Black male, about 15 years of age, short sleeves, and he had on yellow or orange shorts.
18:05 Speaker 8: Where was his last location seen?
18:22 Speaker 1: In the area of building 4. Juliet 4.
18:24 Speaker 3: It's gonna be building 4 the building that's furthest South of the complex and West of the pool, It's just South of the main office.
18:34 Speaker 12: (GARBLED) South of main office.
19:06 Speaker 4: So building 4, the suspect may be in so we need to kind of lock it down the best we can I know we've got units spread thin.
20:49 Speaker 4: 11-21 I'm not getting anything (GARBLED) I'm not getting anything in the woods where we were or I didn't get anything really around the apartment complex to the apartment that they maybe ran into.
21:35 Speaker 13: By the way give Air 1 your location so they can work the area between here and there.
21:42 Speaker 2: I'm at the entrance to cone park on University. Air 1s just about over me.
23:37 Speaker 2: Stand by, I'm making contact with a kid with orange or red shorts and a black shirt. He's carrying a basketball.
28:56 Speaker 12: (GARBLED) Somebody said that the gunshots came from down in that area where you are.
29:05 Speaker 8: We just looked at the video.
29:47 Speaker 11: (GARBLED) vehicle, the blue truck right here thank you.
30:24 Speaker 14: I didn't mean to put myself on this call but will you tell the call taker if they're still on the phone with that DCF worker that it's not a good time to be in Tiger Bay.
30:33 Speaker 15: I'll pick you up(?) Give me just a minute. I'm not near the computer.
31:22 Speaker 4: We're gonna need another roll of crime scene tape on the East side of building 4.
31:30 Speaker 2: Foxtrot 482 I can grab it.
