Gainesville Police Department says an altercation between roommates turned into attempted murder

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - According to the Gainesville Police Department (GPD), a man shot his roommate after an argument in their apartment.

On Thursday, Al-Jareau Banks was inside his apartment, when him and his roommate began arguing over food. Banks says he couldn’t find his canned spam, macaroni, and other items.

His roommate then opened the cabinet to show him where the canned food was. Banks says the two continued to argue in the apartment, when the roommate asked him to go fight outside.

Both the victim and Banks say they did not end up fighting and went back inside to continue the argument. The victim says he reached into his pocket to grab his car keys, and Banks shot him in the hand.

Banks says he thought the shiny item his roommate grabbed from his pocket was a knife. He also says that his roommate took out a silver gun, cocked it, and placed it at his side. Banks claims he shot the victim in self-defense.

GPD searched the victim’s room and found two BB guns, none of which matched the weapon descriptions provided by Banks. The victim’s girlfriend told GPD she has never seen him with a firearm.

Banks is charged with attempted felony murder.

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