Duval County Jury Finds Gathers Guilty of Aggravated Battery

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Alvin Gathers guilty of Aggravated Battery and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. With the verdict, Gathers faces up to life in Florida State Prison. The Honorable London Kite will sentence Gathers at a later date.

On Aug. 22, 2023, officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to a local hospital where a victim arrived with a gunshot wound. The victim went to a gaming room on the Westside of Jacksonville and Gathers was working as a security guard. As the victim was heading inside, Gathers used a metal detector wand to scan the victim’s waistband. The victim turned around briefly to lock his car while Gathers turned to secure the front door of the gaming room. Then, Gathers turned back around and shot the victim in his stomach, arm, and finger. Video surveillance from the business confirmed the events; spent shell casings, blood DNA, and the security wand were recovered from the scene. Gathers was previously convicted of a felony and is not legally allowed to possess a firearm.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Susan Haag and Shaina Ruth.