NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of fatally shooting two people in Ponte Vedra was arrested in Nassau County just before 8 a.m. on Saturday, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office said.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said deputies responded to multiple 911 calls about shots being fired at about 10:30 p.m. Friday at the Walgreens on the corner of Palm Valley Road in Ponte Vedra.
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Two people were shot in the parking lot and were transported to hospitals where they died.
Hardwick said investigators identified a suspect early in the investigation as Christian Barrios, 32, and K-9 units tracked him onto PGA Tour property at TPC Sawgrass.
Hardwick said the suspect is a known criminal.
"He is out of prison again on probation, committing another violent felony. Here we are dumping all these resources and families are gonna mourn two people that were shot and killed in a parking lot of Walgreens over a domestic violence situation," the sheriff explained.
Authorities said Barrios reportedly made contact with PGA staff, picked up a radio, and may have touched other items before leaving that area.
Authorities believe Barrios later stole a dark-colored BMW that had been reported during a burglary just after 4 a.m. Officials said Barrios drove the car from St. Johns County into Nassau County, where deputies tracked it and used a PIT maneuver and the vehicle crashed into a wood line in Callahan. He was later captured by Nassau County deputies just before 8 a.m.
Sheriff Hardwick said no person involved in the incident was from St. Johns County.
“This thug is not from St. John’s county, and once again, he’s out committing crimes here,” said the Sheriff.
Barrios is charged with two counts of first degree murder, burglary of an occupied dwelling, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, shooting into a conveyance, and grand theft of a motor vehicle.
Because of the incident, the gates for Saturday’s third round at The Players opened at 9 a.m., and the hospitality venues will open at 11 a.m.
Stay with News4JAX as we continue to follow this developing story.