FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Five men in their 20s suspected in a shooting that took place during a robbery are now in custody.
The robbery and shooting happened on South 17th Street in Fernandina Beach. One person was shot and one person was pistol-whipped during the robbery, Sheriff Bill Leeper said..
The five suspects took off and deputies got a description of their car, which was spotted on A1A, Leeper said. The car turned onto Gene Lassere Boulevard, ran into a dead end and ended up in the parking lot of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission.
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Four suspects were caught near the car and one ran into the woods, Leeper said.
Deputies set up a perimeter around the woods and sent a K-9 officer into the woods, as well as a drone overhead. Leeper said the suspect was caught a short time later.
Nassau deputies assisted Fernandina Beach police in searching for the suspects in the woods off A1A/State Road 200 in Yulee. Many viewers told Action News Jax that as a result, traffic was very heavy in the area.
Leeper said two weapons were recovered, a rifle and a handgun.
It’s something neighbors in Fernandina Beach say they’re not used to.
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“I was out here working, and I was just moving something, and I was going to paint our door here, and I heard 'pop, pop, pop.' I went inside and I heard about three or four other pops,” Joe Dietrich said.
Sheriff Leeper said this is new for Nassau County.
“Something like this is just not normal for Nassau County. As we continue to grow, more issues come about. We need to make sure we have the personnel and resources to keep up with the growth,” Leeper said.
In the meantime, neighbors are hoping things will stay quiet as long as possible.
“I wouldn’t have expected this, in a quiet neighborhood like this, to hear gunshots,” Dietrich said.
Police say the victim who was shot is in critical condition, but is stable. As for the suspects, they will be facing multiple charges in connection with the robbery.
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