Ray Rodriguez spoke loudly and forcefully to the Gulfport City Council while making numerous allegations of criminal behavior by various City officials.

Ten minutes later, he was in handcuffs.

Rodriguez was charged with criminal mischief for damage he did to City Hall property as he left the building on Aug. 2, according to Gulfport Police Chief Robert Vincent, who is a regular attendee at City Council meetings and personally took part in apprehending the suspect.

After Rodriguez addressed the council during public comment, he walked straight out of the council chambers and opened the door with such force that he drove the door stopper into the wall and damaged a portion of the sheet rock with the door handle. Vincent, who was sitting in the back row, witnessed this and got up to follow him outside, accompanied by one of his officers.

“I went out and told him to stop, and he started running,” said Vincent. “We jumped in the patrol car and followed him down the street, and eventually he stopped running.”

As he was being placed in the back of the police car while getting handcuffed, Rodriguez could be heard by several bystanders calling for help.

Rodriguez was transported to the Pinellas County Jail where he will likely receive a light bond for the misdemeanor charge, according to Vincent. The chief added that it could be upgraded to a felony if the damage amounts for more than $1,000. That will not be known until after an evaluation by City officials determines if in-house employees can do the repairs without any extra expense.

Gulfport police have arrested Rodriguez twice before: On Sept. 2, 2020, they arrested him for trespassing; on Feb. 28, 2022, they arrested him for obstructing or resisting an officer without violence. Both charges are misdemeanors.

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Filed Under: Gulfport City Council, News Tagged With: Gulfport council arrest, Gulfport public meetings

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