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Police Report Gun Incident At USF Talent Show

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By LINDSAY PETERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 27, 2009

TAMPA - A man at a talent show at the University of South Florida pulled out a fully loaded .357 Magnum and pointed it toward a crowd of students Thursday night, said USF police Lt. Meg Ross.

No one was injured. The man, David Joseph Thornton, 26, was arrested on charges of possessing a gun on school property and carrying a concealed weapon. Because he pointed the gun at the crowd, he was also charged with aggravated assault, Ross said. He is not a student.

Police also arrested a man with Thornton, Markus Raines, 22, on marijuana possession charges. He is not a student, Ross said.

The incident happened at the Apollo Night talent show at Cooper Hall. Thornton, who identified himself to police as a promoter and entertainer, was on stage and asked by someone to leave the stage, Ross said. After that, he pulled the gun on a group of people outside Cooper Hall.

The police arrived as the crowd was leaving the show, about 10:30 p.m., Ross said. As witnesses pointed out Thornton, police saw him get into a Dodge Magnum with two other people and attempt to leave the parking lot. At the same time, two other USF police cars arrived and blocked Thornton's path.

He was ordered out of the car at gunpoint and handcuffed. Police found the gun, loaded with five rounds, on the floorboard of the car Thornton was driving. They also discovered that the gun had been reported stolen.

Police also found marijuana on Raines, Ross said.

Both Thornton and Raines were booked in the Hillsborough County Jail, but were released on bonds of $7,000 for Thornton and $500 for Raines.

Reporter Lindsay Peterson can be reached at (813) 259-7834.

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