After a man beat his ex-girlfriend and left her Gainesville, FL, home, he returned 30 minutes later, forced his way into her apartment and was confronted with a coward’s worst fear–her fiercely protective father.
In the middle of March, police were responding to a domestic assault at The Polos of Gainesville residence on Williston Rd., a usually quiet, lush resort-style community close to the University of Florida.
Police report that the suspect beat the young woman and took off in his car, leaving her with visible signs of assault.
When cops arrived at her home, they searched for the suspect, leaving the woman with her father, who also responded to her call.
Thirty minutes later, while the father was comforting his daughter, the suspect returned. Expecting his victim was still alone, he forced his way in and was greeted by his worst nightmare, the woman’s father who was armed with a shotgun.
With one shot, the father fired a bullet into the chest of the ex-boyfriend.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, again attempted to flee and stumbled out of the apartment with life-threatening injuries.
Police say he didn’t make it far–they found him near-dead, next to his car. Attempts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Protecting those involved, Gainesville Police Department are not releasing names and local media report it’s unlikely the father will face charges.
The Polos at Gainesville Facebook site shows that residents are closely bonded and involved in the picturesque community that features a little pond, pool and lounge area.
And residents, who said the incident was “out of the blue,” were shocked when hearing of the violent attack, which resulted in gunfire and a death.
In an interview with local media, one resident, using the name Cona, said, “everyone I speak to here is so nice. I come and I work out here every day and everyone I interact with is so genuine and kind so it was one of those things where it’s definitely out of the blue.”
Dalton Graham who also lives in the complex said, “I thought that you had the wrong Polos or something,” said Dalton Graham. “I have nothing but good things to say about the University and the city in general, and especially the Polos Apartments. Never really had anything like this so it was pretty shocking.”
While this kind of incident sparks national attention, it’s not that uncommon that a father–the first man a girl loves–will go to extremes to defend his daughter.
In August of 2022, a front door camera at an Ohio home recorded a father shooting and killing his daughter’s ex-boyfriend, who made the mistake of breaking through the front door.
The video reveals that 22-year-old James Rayl walked up to the front door and aggressively demanding to see his 22-year-old ex-girlfriend, he refused to leave, despite warnings. Pushing his way through the front door, gunfire broke out and Rayl was shot three times. Collapsing on the driveway, Rayl died, and another voice is heard saying, “he’s dead.”
Shelby County Prosecutor Tim Sell said the father will not be charged in Rayl’s death and cited the state’s “Stand Your Ground” and “Castle Doctrine,” which permits lethal force when threatened in your home.
In California, a father went to his daughter’s rescue after her ex-boyfriend chased down her car and crashed into it, forcing her to stop. Begging for help from family, whom she called while her ex-boyfriend was attempting to break into her stalled vehicle, her father showed up immediately. Stepping out of his truck, he shot the ex-boyfriend once in the head and leaving his dead body on the street, he fled.
Since the November incident, Police have been looking for Jose Mendoza, 59, who’s wanted in the killing of 26-year-old Giovannie Gutierrez.
You can call a father like this a killer, but we know to those daughters, daddy is always a hero.
What do you think about fathers protecting their little girls and how far would you go to make sure your child is safe?
