GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – A press conference was held Aug. 19 at the Gainesville Police Department Hall of Heroes to announce the arrest of the three individuals who have been accused of murdering 20-year-old Ontaria Neveah Baisden, who died on April 24, 2025.
The three men who were arrested were gang members from Marion County, two from one gang, and one from another, all three men are currently incarcerated in the Marion County Jail. Gabriel Frazier, Jr., 20, Jarrett Jones, 19 and Kaniel Edwards 21, Ocala, have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of the victim.
The shooting occurred on April 20, at TB McPherson Park in Gainesville, when attendees were leaving an Easter egg hunt at about 8:15 p.m. An unidentified male opened fire on the crowd, striking three individuals. The victims were transported to Shands at the University of Florida, one of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries, Baisden, the other two non-life-threatening injuries. Baisden would ultimately succumb to the gunshot wound she sustained.
This particular case was of special interest to this city, not only because of where it happened, in a very public location because so many people were impacted, but also because of the victim in this case, said Nelson Moya, Gainesville Chief of Police.
“The victim in this case was caught in the crossfire by people who should not have been in our community in the first place,” said Moya. “A precious 20-year-old life was tragically taken from us, this past Easter Sunday, April 24.”
This particular case became the highest of priorities for the Gainesville Police Department, said Moya.
“The days after the shooting I met with this family (the victim’s family) that stands beside me today,” said Moya. “We as an agency made a promise to this family that we would not rest, a single second, until we brought justice and resolution to this case and to Ontaria.”
Chief Moya chose not to show the picture of the three men accused of Baisden’s murder, pointing to the portrait of Ontaria Baisden.
“The only picture who’s worth seeing today is that beautiful life right there,” said Moya. “I want us to all acknowledge that.”
However, Chief Moya went onto acknowledge the men and women of the Gainesville Police Department for their efforts, and the challenging and difficult work that they do every day, working tireless for all of their victims.
The victim’s family’s attorney and members of the Gainesville Police Department stood by Chief Moya and the family during the press conference, thanking them for their contributions to the case as unsung heroes for their roles in bringing people to justice. GPD Det. Cpl. Matt Quinn was the lead detective in the case.
What the GPD was able to ascertain was the three individuals are part of opposing documented gangs in Marion County, and came into Gainesville, looking for one another.
‘They knew that event was taking place, and they decided to take the opportunity on that stage in our city to do the ultimate,” said Moya. “As we now know, as they see each other on SE 15th St., they decide to start shooting at each other, in the middle of hundreds of people nearby. It was in that moment that Ontaria Baisden was shot. I can’t tell you how as a police chief it impacts not only this organization, this community and most importantly this family.”
