Gainesville Police arrested a man Thursday they said is responsible for a sensational armed robbery over the weekend at a fast-food restaurant where the gunman fired at employees and later shot at police while escaping.
Police identified their suspect in the case as Juanquavious Kiron Jackson, 18, of Gainesville. He was identified in court records indicating he was wanted on four felony counts, including robbery with a firearm, two counts of attempted murder and possession of a weapon by a delinquent. His bond was set at $725,000.
Police said Jackson was arrested Thursday morning after a manhunt that involved federal marshals and sheriff’s deputies.
Police said Jackson was the man who entered a Zaxby’s restaurant in northwest Gainesville on Saturday night, ordered employees to “give me the money” during an attempted robbery and fired one bullet, narrowly missing two employees. The employees fled. They included an assistant manager who recognized Jackson as an employee of the business despite his wearing a mask, police said.
“She is 100% positive of the identity,” Gainesville Police Cpl. Amanda Prince said.
As law enforcement converged on the area, a witness called 911 to say a man was walking around wearing black clothes and carrying a gun. A police dog from the nearby Alachua Police Department tracked Jackson and the officer ordered him to stop, but he fired at authorities and ran away to escape, police said.
No one was injured in the shootings.
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