Two people arrested in investigation into shooting at Horizon Apartments

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Darien Lee Daniels, 22, and D-onna Lashawn Miller, 30, were arrested last night in the investigation of a shooting at the Horizon Apartments. Daniels was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and Miller was charged with tampering with evidence.

At approximately 10:45 p.m., Gainesville Police officers responded to the Horizon Apartments (1515 NW 10th Street) and found two victims who said Daniels pointed a gun at them and the gun fired when they attempted to disarm him.

The first victim said he came to the apartment where the shooting occurred to pick up his child from the child’s mother. During an argument over whether the first victim would let the child’s mother close the door to her apartment, Daniels reportedly came out of a back bedroom and began arguing with the first victim. The first victim said Daniels pulled out a gun and pointed it at him, after which he fled the apartment.

The second victim said he came to the apartment complex with the first victim, his brother. He said he heard his brother yelling “Run!” and when he turned around, he saw Daniels standing outside the apartment pointing a gun at them. He said he tried to disarm Daniels, and the gun went off during the struggle and fell to the ground floor near the apartment.

A resident of a neighboring apartment reportedly told a police officer that she saw one of the victims snatch the gun from Daniels and throw it over the railing on the upper floor.

Miller, who lives on the ground floor of the apartment where the shooting occurred, reportedly said she was in her apartment when she heard a fight upstairs. She said she heard a gunshot and went outside, where she saw people fighting upstairs and then saw one of the men throw a gun on the ground. She said she picked up the gun and put it in her apartment.

A witness told an officer that a woman in a dark dress had picked up the gun, and they questioned Miller, who was wearing a dark dress. She eventually admitted that she had hidden the gun in her apartment. She allowed officers to retrieve the gun from a duffel bag in her apartment.

After being granted Miranda, Miller allegedly said she saw the gun thrown from the balcony, picked it up, and hid it in her apartment. She said she planned to take it to the Horizon leasing office the next day. When asked why she didn’t give it to officers, she allegedly said she didn’t know.

The arresting officer noted that officers had been near Miller’s residence for approximately 30 minutes before speaking with her, and that she had been walking around outside the entire time and had made no attempt to give officers any information about the gun.

After being granted Miranda, Daniels allegedly said he got into an argument with the two victims over whether the first victim would let the child’s mother close the apartment door. He said he attempted to close the door and was punched in the face by the first victim. He allegedly admitted to having a gun in the pocket of his hoodie, pointing the gun in the direction of the two victims, and leaving the apartment, pursuing the first victim with the gun in his hand. He said he never pointed the gun at anyone, nor did he intentionally fire it, but he allegedly admitted that the gun discharged in his hand.

According to the police report, Daniels suffered only minor injuries: a cut on his forehead and a scratch on his upper lip.

Daniels was convicted of domestic violence and recently served six months in the Alachua County Jail after violating his probation in that case. He is being held without bail on the new charge.

Miller has no criminal history in her area and has already been released from prison.

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