University Police issued a No Trespass Order to a male not affiliated with USF after conducting an investigation on a gun case and magazines found in the Fine Arts Building in April. 

Although the individual denied the gun-related items were his, he admitted ownership of other items recovered at the scene — including the books “Mein Kampf” by Adolf Hitler, “Weapons of Terror,” “The Corrupted Ones” and “The Battle for the Soul of Capitalism.” 

UP informed the case was closed in a press release on May 15 and said there is no “active threat” to the public. 

Related: Empty gun case, empty ammo magazines found at USF Fine Arts Building

Here’s a closer look at UP’s investigation into this case.

Body camera footage shows police recovered the gun case with three empty AK-style magazines, two grips and a magazine loader in a garbage can inside a men’s restroom at FAH on April 19. A Burlington shopping bag with clothing was found underneath the case. 

When patrolling the building, an officer found three additional bags behind a vending machine near the restroom. The items — another Burlington bag, a backpack and a leather purse — contained various electronics, documents and books. 

“The two sets of belongings appeared related, as both were contained in Burlington shopping bags that seemed similarly aged,” an officer said in the report.

The items found in the bags were named after several different people, which initially made it difficult for UP to identify who owned them.

But one name — Victor Anthony Rodriguez — was written on a laptop, notepads and a business card with a phone number.

Footage shows one man was on the scene while UP investigated the items. UP asked if the materials were his, but he denied ownership and stayed approximately 10 feet from the officers.

When reviewing body camera footage, UP identified the man as Rodriguez himself, who was “within earshot” of the discussion between officers at the scene, according to the report. 

Rodriguez, 35, returned to campus two days later and became “uncooperative” and “defensive” when UP asked him to identify himself. He was briefly detained and issued the NTO, records show.

The report shows Rodriguez was issued the NTO due to having a criminal history and “no affiliation” with USF. He had been arrested by Orlando Police and charged with two third-degree felonies and one first-degree felony in 2016. 

The charges were made on the same day for trespassing at a Greyhound bus station, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence, records show.

This was not the first time local law enforcement issued Rodriguez an NTO this year. 

He had been trespassed in March by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office from Bagels Plus at Fletcher Avenue — around one mile from the USF campus. 

Records show Rodriguez later admitted to possessing the bags found at FAH, but denied ownership of the gun case and magazines.

UP found a serial number on the recovered gun case. The gun belonging to the case has been in the possession of the Tampa Police Department since 2024, according to the press release.

The number associated with the gun is tied to an assault with a deadly weapon in North Carolina and a property crime in Texas, according to the report. 

Rodriguez was not associated with these crimes. 

UPD was not able to contact the registered owner of the gun, according to the press release. 

Additional reporting by Clara Rokita Garcia.

Editor’s note: The Oracle chose to name Victor Anthony Rodriguez in this story because he was issued a No Trespass Order by University Police and has a prior criminal history. His identity and involvement were confirmed through official police records and body camera footage. We believe this information is relevant to the safety of the USF community and in the public interest.