Man released from court was arrested during investigation into shots fired at Hickory Place Apartments

Employee report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Adam Wayne Christmas, Jr., 21, was arrested yesterday and charged with loitering/prowling and resisting an officer without violence during an investigation into a shooting at the Hickory Place Apartments (4000 SW 23rd St). He was released from the Alachua County Jail three weeks ago after being arrested on aggravated assault charges.

Gainesville Police Department officers responded to the apartment complex at approximately 6:30 p.m. Friday evening where Christmas was reportedly seen walking through the complex; Christmas’ description reportedly matched the description of a suspect who fired shots and fled the area on foot. Witnesses reportedly told officers they saw Christmas run into the woods and then back into the complex before officers found him.

When Christmas saw the officers, he reportedly ran but was arrested.

Post Miranda, Christmas reportedly could not provide a reason for visiting the complex. He reportedly mentioned a friend named Seth but could not provide Seth’s apartment number, and an officer was unable to reach Seth after Christmas gave the officer permission to use his phone.

Christmas was previously arrested on April 8 for aggravated domestic violence after he allegedly broke a woman’s nose; He was also formally charged with assault and resisting an officer without violence in this case. The State Attorney’s Office (SAO) requested that he be held without bail pending trial based on the allegation of grievous bodily harm and the “significant likelihood that the defendant poses a risk of harm to the community.” However, after the first scheduled hearing on the motion proceeded, the motion was withdrawn by the SAO and Judge David Kreider set bail at $20,000; Christmas posted bail on April 25 and was released with an ankle monitor.

There are no criminal convictions for Christmas, but an assault charge was dropped in 2022 and a domestic assault by strangulation charge was dropped in 2023. Judge James Colaw set bail for the new misdemeanor charges at $2,000 and ordered Christmas held without bail on aggravated battery.

Articles about arrests are based on law enforcement reports. The allegations listed are from the arrest report and/or court records and are allegations only. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.