Fatal Shooting Near TPC Sawgrass Kills Two, Delays Tournament
A gunman fatally shot two people in a Walgreens parking lot near the TPC Sawgrass golf course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, late Friday evening, prompting a manhunt that spilled onto tournament grounds and delayed the opening of gates for the third round of The Players Championship the following morning.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick identified the suspect as 32-year-old Christian Barrios, who authorities described as having a prior relationship with the victims in what they classified as a domestic violence incident. The shooting occurred around 10:30 p.m. Friday in the parking lot at the corner of Palm Valley Road, approximately one mile from the course hosting the PGA Tour event. Responding to multiple 911 calls, deputies found the two victims suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. They were transported to a local hospital, where both succumbed to their injuries.
Barrios fled the scene on foot and entered TPC Sawgrass property, evading initial capture as canine units tracked him through the area. During the pursuit, he briefly picked up a PGA Tour radio before dropping it and continued onward. Authorities later reported that he stole a black BMW from the premises....