Authorities were searching for a man who shot and killed two people in a drug store parking lot near the TPC Sawgrass, leading The Players Championship to delay opening gates for the third round on Saturday morning.
St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick said the suspect, whom he identified as Christian Barrios, shot two people multiple times at around 10:30pm on Friday in the parking lot of Walgreens in a domestic violence situation.
The store is located about a mile away from the course that is hosting the event which is due to conclude on Sunday.
He said canine units pursued Barrios onto TPC Sawgrass property. Hardwick added that Barrios, who turned 32 on Saturday, at one point picked up a PGA Tour radio and later dropped it.
He then stole a black BMW, and Nassau County authorities in the far northeastern tip of Florida pursued the car and forced a crash into the woods.
The suspect fled on foot and was still at large.
The PGA cited “operational considerations” in deciding not to open the gates until 9 a.m. The first round bean at 8:15 a.m. and was not delayed. Hospitality areas were delayed opening until 11 a.m.
Hardwick said Barrios had a long criminal history and knew the victims, both of whom were shot multiple times and taken to the hospital where they died.
The shooting occurred shortly just hours after the second round of The Players Championship finished.
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg holds a two-shot lead heading into the third round after hitting a nine under par 63 on Friday to move to 12 under par overall.
He was two shots clear of America’s Xander Schauffele overnight, with Cameron Young and Justin Thomas also in the chasing pack heading into the weekend’s action.
