Hawthorne Man Gets Prison Time for Parking Garage Shooting

GAINESVILLE ‒ A Hawthorne man has been sentenced to prison. Ny’trell Eugene Perry, 23, has been sentenced to five years in prison, followed by 10 years of probation, after pleading nolo contendere to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon during an incident that resulted in the shooting death of Michael Reed, Jr., on May 1, 2022, at Gainesville’s Southwest Downtown Parking Garage.

Perry was part of a group of four men from Hawthorne and Gainesville who became involved in an altercation with four Ocala men in the parking garage. Perry was carrying a Glock 19 with a 30-round extended magazine and swung it at one of the Ocala men, at which point the gun fired and hit the wall behind the Ocala man. Perry’s gun malfunctioned at that point, and although he attempted to shoot the Ocala man, who had also pulled out a gun, the gun would not fire.

The Ocala man shot at Perry, but his bullet hit Reed in the chest. Reed later died. Perry ran from the parking garage without rendering aid to Reed or telling the other members of the group that Reed had been shot.

Perry was originally charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a firearm during the commission of a felony, but only the aggravated battery charge was officially filed. Perry posted $50,000 bail and was released.

On April 25, Perry entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charge, which has a maximum sentence of 15 years, in exchange for five years in state prison and 10 years of probation. A series of financial assessments has been levied against Perry which he can repay by performing service hours in lieu of costs at a rate of $11 per hour. Judge James Colaw sentenced him on May 11.

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