Suspect in northwest Gainesville murder flees police, crashes in Columbia County

Staff report
Updated ·2 min read

A suspect in a fatal Thursday morning shooting in Gainesville was arrested following a pursuit involving three area law enforcement agencies that ended in Columbia County.

According to a Gainesville Police Department social media post, officers were dispatched at 2:39 a.m to a home at 4700 NW 16th Place in the Suburban Heights neighborhood in reference to a shooting.

A fatal shooting was reported early Thursday morning at this home at 4700 NW 16th Place in the Suburban Heights neighborhood in Gainesville.
A fatal shooting was reported early Thursday morning at this home at 4700 NW 16th Place in the Suburban Heights neighborhood in Gainesville.

Officers arrived to find a white male victim who has not yet been identified with multiple gunshot wounds dead at the scene.

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Information received determined that the suspect may have been driving a silver Chevrolet pickup truck, which was located a short distance away. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as James Tate, refused to stop for law enforcement and fled from officers at high speed.

The pursuit involved units from GPD, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. The truck Tate was driving eventually crashed in Columbia County, where he was taken into custody.

Tate, 28, was booked into the Columbia County Jail just after 7 a.m. Thursday. He bail was set at $5 million.

Officers stationed in front of the home, which was taped off, said the victim was not the homeowner, and that the house was being used a short-term rental. The home across the street also was taped off with what appeared to be a bullet hole in the garage door.

The shooting comes just two days after another fatal shooting in southwest Gainesville early Tuesday at The Park Apartments, 3643 SW 20th Ave.

In that case, GPD officers found a male victim dead from "apparent gunshot wounds." GPD is asking anyone with information about the Tuesday shooting to call Detective Williams at 352-393-7681. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 352-372-7867.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville murder suspect crashes vehicle in Columbia County