The Gainesville Police Department arrested a man on an attempted murder charge Tuesday night after a dispute resulted in a grazing gunshot wound, according to GPD spokesperson Ben Tobias.
Officers arrived at 441 SE 15th St. at 9:45 p.m. after receiving a 911 call that Ronald Whitford, Jr. had been shot, Tobias said. Whitford's parents said their son went to the home of Dominic J. Gillins after a party, and a fight between the two broke out. The reason for the dispute remains undetermined.
Tobias said Gillins, 25, armed himself with a handgun and shot Whitford once in the head. Whitford was taken to the hospital for medical attention within 15 minutes of officers arriving at the scene. Whitford was released later that night.
"The wound was just a grazing wound," Tobias said, "so he was very, very lucky to be alive."
Police believed Gillins remained at the scene, Tobias said, so officers set a perimeter around the house for about three hours. Around 2 a.m., Gillins surrendered without incident and was taken to the Alachua County Jail, where he was charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the Alachua County Clerk of the Court.
The investigation is ongoing.
Aviela Weltman and Cassandra Feyerabend contributed reporting.