Police say the gunman opened fire from a red car after an earlier fatal shooting at a nearby business.
GAINESVILLE, FL — Two Gainesville Police Department officers were shot and wounded Wednesday morning during what the police chief described as an ambush on East University Avenue, a busy corridor near downtown. The suspect was killed when officers returned fire after stopping his vehicle at the scene.
Police Chief Nelson Moya said the officers were attempting to stop a red car connected to reports of gunfire at a business moments earlier when the driver stopped, got out and opened fire. One officer was hit in the arm and another in the leg, according to city officials. Both were taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening and were later released. The confrontation unfolded in rush-hour traffic near the intersection of East University Avenue and Waldo Road, prompting widespread closures and a large police response.
Witnesses told reporters the exchange of gunfire began shortly after 8 a.m. as marked patrol cars pulled behind the suspect’s vehicle. “Our officers were ambushed,” Moya said, adding that returning fire “prevented further harm” to people in the area. Investigators later found a person dead inside a lumber and hardware business tied to the first 911 calls. Officers on scene described dozens of shell casings along the roadway and storefronts with damaged glass. Detectives cordoned off several blocks while bomb squads and crime scene technicians swept for hazards and collected evidence. City transit buses were rerouted and nearby businesses kept customers inside until the scene was secured.
By midday, officials confirmed the suspect died at the scene. The department did not immediately release the names of the suspect, the homicide victim found at the business, or the wounded officers, citing next-of-kin notifications and ongoing interviews. Moya said body-worn camera video was recovered and will be reviewed as part of a standard use-of-force investigation. The chief thanked nearby merchants who shared security footage and emphasized there was no continuing threat. Hospital officials later said both officers were stable and walking with assistance before discharge. Detectives continued canvassing East University Avenue, focusing on the stretch around Southeast 13th Street where the suspect’s car stopped.
Gainesville police said the earlier shooting occurred at a lumber and hardware store along East University Avenue. Employees who arrived for morning shifts reported hearing a rapid burst of shots and seeing customers run. A person was found fatally wounded inside. Investigators are working to determine whether the victim knew the shooter or if the attack was random. Officers recovered a handgun near the suspect and multiple magazines on the pavement, according to preliminary summaries provided at the scene. Traffic investigators measured bullet impacts across the six-lane roadway and into a nearby salon and market. The medical examiner’s office took custody of the suspect following the on-scene pronouncement.
Police said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement will lead the review of the officer-involved shooting, while Gainesville detectives handle the separate homicide investigation at the business. Under agency policy, involved officers will be placed on administrative leave pending interviews and a preliminary review. Autopsies for the suspect and the homicide victim are expected in the coming days to confirm cause and manner of death. Officials said additional updates would be provided after families are notified and after video footage is cataloged. City leaders said they plan to release initial incident reports and radio logs once core investigative steps are complete.
The morning violence comes amid years of traffic safety and redevelopment discussions along East University Avenue, a main route connecting the University of Florida area to east Gainesville neighborhoods. Businesses near the intersection have dealt with prior crashes and occasional violent incidents, but merchants described Wednesday’s shootout as unlike anything they had seen. Police calls for service records show the corridor draws heavy patrols during opening hours for industrial shops and markets. City officials noted that recent camera installations on nearby intersections helped provide investigators with timing and lane-of-travel details as they piece together the sequence of events.
Legal questions now turn on ballistics, body-camera review and whether any prior threats or calls involved the suspect before Wednesday’s shootings. Prosecutors will receive investigative files once FDLE completes its use-of-force review and the police department finishes its homicide case. Any findings about motive will be released after interviews with relatives, coworkers and witnesses are finished. The department did not announce a timeline for the next press briefing but said more information would be provided once the medical examiner confirms identities and notifications are completed.
As the scene reopened, shop owners swept glass from sidewalks and counted bullet holes in front windows. A barber at a salon near Southeast 13th Street said he dropped to the floor when shots erupted and later helped usher customers to the back room. A delivery driver described seeing “muzzle flashes” and hearing officers shouting commands before the final volley. “By the grace of God, they’re going home,” Moya said of the officers, crediting nearby officers who rushed in to pull the wounded to cover. Afternoon traffic resumed in phases as tow trucks removed the red sedan and investigators loaded evidence markers from the roadway.
Police said late Wednesday that both officers had been discharged from the hospital and were recovering at home. The homicide and FDLE reviews are ongoing, and officials said the next public update is expected after families are notified and initial lab work is returned later this week.
Author note: Last updated January 15, 2026.