A manhunt for a Florida suspect involved in a deadly double shooting caused a delay to Saturday morning’s start of The Players Championship.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick reported that the incident unfolded on Friday night around 10:30 p.m. in a Walgreens parking lot, just a mile away from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. The suspect, 32-year-old Christian Barrios, allegedly engaged in a possible domestic violence dispute, resulting in the shooting of two acquaintances multiple times, according to ESPN.
Both victims were urgently transported to a nearby hospital, but tragically, they succumbed to their injuries. Investigators revealed that Barrios, who has a lengthy criminal history, managed to flee from the scene and made his way onto the golf course.
The fatal incident and the subsequent search for Barrios led to a delay in the start of the third round of The Players Championship on Saturday morning, as law enforcement needed to ensure the area was secure.
Authorities stated that Barrios briefly interacted with PGA staff, during which he seized a communication radio and potentially other items. This prompted an extensive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies, as reported by News 4 Jax.
In response, PGA officials cited “operational considerations” as the reason for postponing the opening of public gates to 9 a.m. and delaying hospitality access until 11 a.m., according to ESPN.
A high-speed pursuit ensued after Barrios allegedly stole a black BMW. The chase eventually concluded an hour away in Nassau County, where authorities forced the stolen vehicle off the road and into a wooded area.
At around 9 a.m. Saturday, police arrested Barrios after he attempted to escape by foot.
With the suspect in custody and the course cleared for safety, the tournament resumed its normal operations for the weekend’s spectators.
Barrios is being held without the possibility of bond on two counts of first-degree murder. In addition to the homicide charges, he is accused of grand theft auto, shooting into a vehicle, and burglarizing an occupied home while being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon.
While he cannot post bail for the murder charges, his bond for the burglary was set at $200,000, with an additional $100,000 for each of the remaining counts, according to News 4 Jax.
[Feature Photo: Christian Barrios/Nassau County SO]
