Last updated on June 16, 2017, at 4:05 p.m. Bond was increased from $25,000 to $32,200.
Ocala, Florida — A career criminal is behind bars after he allegedly attempted to shoot a friend of his girlfriend while she was sitting in her car.
Ocala police responded to the 1600 block of Southwest 2nd Street, Ocala, after a victim called 911 and said that a man had pointed a gun at her.
The victim stated that she was dropping off her friend to see [her] boyfriend, Mark M. Vereen, 24, when he ran out of the bushes and pointed a gun with laser sighting at her. The victim said that Vereen tried to rack the slide on the gun, but it got jammed. She said he started hitting the gun to try and clear the jam.
The victim told police that he was screaming at her as he attempted to rack the slide.
Police then made contact with Vereen and his girlfriend. Police said the two were standing next to a Burgundy GMC SUV that was parked in the backyard of his uncle’s residence.
When questioned, the girlfriend told police that her mother does not approve of Vereen, and that they were not allowed to be at her mother’s house. She said that is why she had her friend, the victim, drive her to Vereen’s house.
The girlfriend told police that she had seen Vereen with a gun that had a laser on it. She also stated that Vereen had “chased a car with a gun”.
According to reports, police conducted a computer search of the GMC and determined that it was not registered to Vereen. Police made contact with the owner of the vehicle who stated that Vereen did not have permission to drive the vehicle. The owner also gave police consent to search the SUV.
Inside the GMC, police found a Glcok 21 .45 caliber handgun with 23 rounds in magazine and one in the chamber and a Highpoint .45 caliber handgun with 8 rounds in the magazine. The Glock was equipped with laser sighting.
The owner of the vehicle told police that he did not own a firearm.
Vereen was arrested and transported to the Marion County Jail.
While at the jail, the officer informed Vereen that he was being charged with Aggravated Assault with a Firearm, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Ammo by a Convicted Felon.
At which time Vereen replied, “F*ck you, I will pop you next time I see you.”
The officer then added a charge for Threatening a Police Officer-Death or Serious Bodily Injury.
Vereen has been in and out of jail since he was a juvenile.
He has previous convictions for Aggravated Assault with a Firearm (x2), Possession of a Firearm by a Juvenile, Carjacking with a Firearm, Domestic Battery, and Resisting Arrest.
Vereen was just released from jail in March.
He is being held on a $32,200 bond.
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