A Florida man reportedly involved in a fatal double shooting triggered a manhunt that postponed Saturday morning’s Players Championship.
According to St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick, the incident began Friday evening at around 10:30 p.m., in a Walgreens parking lot just a mile from TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. Suspect Christian Barrios, 32, was reportedly involved in a possible domestic violence situation where two acquaintances were shot multiple times.
Both victims were rushed to a local hospital but did not survive. According to investigators, Barrios—who has an extensive criminal record—escaped the initial scene by crossing onto the golf course, according to ESPN.
The deadly altercation and pursuit of Barrios forced a delay on Saturday morning for the third round of The Player Championship, as law enforcement worked to secure the area.
According to authorities, Barrios came into contact with PGA staff and snatched a communication radio—along with other potential items—before fleeing the area and triggering a massive, multi-department search, as News 4 Jax reported.
PGA officials cited “operational considerations” for pushing the public gate opening 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.
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[Feature Photo: Christian Barrios/Nassau County SO]