ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick will host a roundtable discussion with media outlets on Friday in the wake of several violent incidents that have many citizens concerned.
A Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said Thursday’s chaotic incidents -- which both ended with men in custody -- are still under investigation, but that the sheriff will answer any questions that he can.
The drama on Thursday began during rush hour when deputies say a man ran on foot from a traffic stop, stole a van and fled at a high speed down International Golf Parkway towards U.S. 1.
Deputies searched for the man for hours in heavily wooded and marshy areas after he abandoned the stolen vehicle on U.S. 1 near Abbotts Way.
The issue caused significant traffic backups on I-95 South near IGP.
The man, identified as 33-year-old Tomal Bowe, was eventually taken into custody.
At the same time as the search for Bowe, deputies were also dealing with a double shooting at a home in St. Augustine.
Two women were shot, and deputies eventually found the accused shooter -- the boyfriend of one of the women -- running from law enforcement and hopping fences about eight blocks away.
That man, 37-year-old Michael Hankerson, was also arrested the same night. He is charged with two counts of attempted murder.
The two high-profile violent incidents followed a deputy-involved shooting earlier in the week that covered multiple scenes.
Kristopher Lee Johnson, 43, was fatally shot by deputies on Tuesday afternoon following a police chase sparked after investigators say Johnson shot at his co-worker, an incident that was captured on a graphic 911 call. The fatal shooting of Johnson was also captured on video.