UPDATE: The suspect is now in custody. This story will be updated.
Two people were killed in a shooting late Friday night in Ponte Vedra Beach, and the suspected gunman was taken into custody Saturday morning after a police pursuit and multi-agency search, authorities said.
Deputies with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:30 p.m. Friday to the Walgreens at 860 A1A North near Palm Valley Road after receiving multiple reports of shots fired in the parking lot.
They found two people who had been shot multiple times. Both victims were transported from the scene but later died from their injuries, officials said.
Investigators identified the suspect as 32-year-old Christian Barrios. Authorities say the shooting appears to be related to a domestic dispute and that the suspect was known to the victims.
After the shooting, K-9 units tracked the suspect north across Palm Valley Road and onto the nearby TPC Sawgrass property, which includes the PGA Tour headquarters.
Deputies flooded the area overnight, including patrol units and drones, while working closely with PGA Tour staff to search for the suspect. Investigators said he approached several people on the property, including workers and security personnel, while attempting to evade capture.
Authorities believe Barrios also tried to steal a vehicle while moving through the area.
Later in the night, investigators received a report of a burglary in which a dark-colored BMW was stolen. The vehicle’s license plate was entered into national law enforcement databases, alerting agencies across the region.
Early Saturday morning, deputies with the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office located the vehicle in the northwest part of Nassau County and initiated a pursuit. The chase ended when deputies performed a PIT maneuver, causing the vehicle to crash through a wooded area.
The suspect fled from the crashed vehicle and remained at large Saturday morning as law enforcement agencies, including SWAT and air units, searched the area. He was later taken into custody.
The investigation unfolded just hours before thousands of spectators were expected to arrive nearby for the Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass.
St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick said officials had been working closely with tournament staff throughout the night as the situation developed.
Hardwick said investigators are tracking roughly 27 prior arrests connected to the suspect and said Barrios was on probation at the time of the shooting.
“He’s out of prison again, on probation, committing another violent felony,” Hardwick said.
Hardwick also noted that neither the suspect nor the victims are from St. Johns County.
Authorities said the investigation remains active and additional updates will be released as more information becomes available.
