GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three people in a stolen luxury car were arrested Thursday after reports of shots fired at an apartment complex escalated into a police chase that ended in a crash, the Gainesville Police Department said.
Police were called just after 5 p.m. to the Woodland Park Apartments on SE 4th Street after receiving 911 calls about shots fired.
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Witnesses told police that black male juveniles in two vehicles -- a light blue Infiniti and a silver Dodge Charger -- were firing shots out the windows.
Before officers arrived, the vehicles drove off.
Shortly after, a detective said he spotted the Infiniti, which was reported stolen to the Alachua County Sheriff's Office, on East University Avenue.
Several units then began to pursue the car after the driver refused to stop, police said.
The chase ended when the car crashed off SE 9th Street, police said.
Police said all three people inside the car were arrested at the scene before being taken to get medical treatment at Shands Pediatric Emergency Room.
The second vehicle tied to the shootings was spotted by police in the area of the 8th Avenue Food Store and was pulled over for a stop sign violation, police said.
The officer smelled marijuana in the car and found a loaded .25-caliber firearm, a handful of .38-caliber ammunition, a loaded .38-caliber handgun, a backpack containing about 111.5 grams of marijuana and another small baggie of marijuana, Gainesville police said.
The four people in the vehicle were Jocquez White, 19, Rohntavious Hayes, 19, Pierre Williams, 19, and an unnamed 16-year-old, police said.
White, Hayes and Williams were each charged with carrying a concealed firearm. Hayes and Williams were also charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a community center. Williams also faces charges for the marijuana.
Police said Hayes was issued a sworn complaint because of his cooperation, White and Williams were taken to the Alachua County Jail, and the 16-year-old, who was charged with probation violation, was taken to the juvenile detention facility.
No injuries were reported at the apartment complex.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call Detective J. Rappa at 352-642-3844.