A 35-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he allegedly fired a gunshot in the parking lot of a local apartment complex while intoxicated.
On Thursday, May 16, at around 10:40 p.m., an Ocala Police Department officer was at Briarwood Apartments located in the 1700 block of NE 2nd Street when a single gunshot was heard outside the complex, according to the arrest report.
The officer responded to the rear parking lot of the complex and observed a man, later identified as Adam Jacob Vereen, who was standing in the parking lot. In the report, the officer noted that Vereen was holding an open bottle of alcohol and appeared to be drunk.
The report stated that the officer observed a handgun “sticking out” of one of Vereen’s pockets. During a pat-down search of Vereen, the officer located a Kimber handgun.
Additional OPD officers soon arrived on scene. One of the officers made contact with a female relative of Vereen who was visiting him. The relative stated that prior to the incident, she knew that Vereen was “really drunk,” and she was about to drive him to a local store when the single gunshot was fired, according to the report.
The officers located one shell casing in the parking lot, which was “on the ground directly in front of Vereen’s residence.” The report stated that the shell casing further matched the caliber of Vereen’s seized firearm and the rounds that were loaded in it, and a swab of his hands revealed the presence of gunshot residue.
After being read his Miranda rights, Vereen stated that he “did not understand.” He then stated that if he was going to be placed under arrest, then the officers should “go ahead and do it already.” According to the report, Vereen’s speech was slurred and he was “unable to hold [a] conversation.”
Vereen was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail on May 16. Two days later, he was released after posting a $5,000 bond. He is being charged with carrying a weapon openly, firing a weapon in public or on a residential property, and using a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 10, according to jail records.