Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tarus Woodall, 49, was arrested yesterday morning and charged with armed robbery, aggravated battery, and false imprisonment after allegedly hitting his girlfriend with a pistol, taking cash from her, and preventing her from leaving the house after law enforcement arrived.
At about 5:50 a.m. on September 25, Alachua County Sheriff’s (ASO) Deputies responded to Woodall’s home, where he allegedly argued with his girlfriend, hit her multiple times with a pistol, and took $60 from her. The victim also reportedly said he forced her to remove her earrings and give them to him, but the earrings were not recovered.
Woodall allegedly got a shotgun from another part of the home and loaded it in front of the victim before placing it on the sofa next to him and saying, “I’ll kill you… I’ll kill you right… now.”
When deputies arrived, they were reportedly able to speak with Woodall and the victim through a front window, and the arresting deputy reported that Woodall was still holding the pistol and telling the victim she should tell deputies that she was fine and they should go away. The deputy reported that the victim briefly opened the front door before Woodall ran up behind her and closed and locked the door. Deputies reportedly heard Woodall asking whether she had called law enforcement and telling her she was going to “make matters worse than they is.” The arresting deputy also reported that Woodall repeatedly told the victim that he would shoot her in the face.