A Lake County man has been arrested and charged with attacking a tattoo artist and a customer with a sword and guitar in a shop on South Orange Avenue.
37-year-old Jason L. Gay is charged with two counts of second degree murder and two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and is currently being held in the Orange County Jail.
Gay went to Ace Tattoo Shop located at 2015 South Orange Avenue on Monday, April 4, just after 5:00 pm, where the tattoo artist told him to look through the books with tattoo designs and that he would be helped after he (tattoo artist) was finished with a customer.
According to the arrest affidavit, shortly after, Gay took up a long sword in his left hand and a guitar in his right and proceeded to strike the tattoo artist with the objects, hitting him in the back of the head. The customer on whom the tattoo artist was working, swung into action as Gay also attempted to go after him.
A fight ensued between the three men–the tattoo artist, the customer and Gay, who was struck in the head with a glass table top.
Gay fled the tattoo shop on foot, bleeding profusely, and according to affidavit, the glass table top shattered after he was hit in the head.
While attacking the men, Gay stated he was “going to kill them,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Gay was taken to the Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
Police said, Gay told them that the tattoo artist and the customer were “playing word games”, as he sat in the shop looking through catalogs. Gay explained that this meant, “sex games” and said the men had called him a “chain gang punk.” At that point, police said, Gay told them he needed a lawyer and wouldn’t say anything else.
Both the tattoo artist and the customer said they are willing to press charges.
Gay has had previous with law enforcement including charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, grand theft and aggravated assault.
