A manhunt after a double homicide near tpc sawgrass delayed gate openings and led to an early-morning arrest. St. Johns County Sheriff Rob Hardwick identified the suspect as Christian Barrios, 32, after two people were fatally shot about 10: 30 p. m. ET Friday in a Walgreens parking lot roughly a mile from the course. Barrios was taken into custody about 8: 00 a. m. ET Saturday in Nassau County after fleeing onto the course and later stealing a vehicle that crashed during a pursuit.
Tpc Sawgrass gates delayed as manhunt unfolds
Officials held the first round on schedule but delayed public entry to the course as a precaution; gates opened at 9: 00 a. m. ET and hospitality areas opened at 11: 00 a. m. ET. St. Johns County canine units tracked the suspect onto the tournament grounds after the shooting, and investigators say the man made contact with staff inside the venue and briefly handled a PGA Tour radio before dropping it. After leaving the property, he allegedly stole a dark vehicle and was pursued into Nassau County where deputies forced the car into a wood line and the suspect fled on foot before being captured.
Officials and witnesses: charges and statements
Rob Hardwick, St. Johns County Sheriff, identified the suspect as Christian Barrios and confirmed the sequence of events that linked the shooting scene to the golf course. “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, ” Hardwick said. The sheriff added a forceful remark about the suspect’s ties to the area: “This thug is not from St. John’s county, and once again, he’s out committing crimes here, ” Rob Hardwick, St. Johns County Sheriff, said.
Authorities say the two victims were shot multiple times, taken to hospitals and later died. The arrest was made in Callahan in Nassau County; deputies used a PIT maneuver that sent the stolen vehicle into the woods and recovered the suspect on foot. Barrios faces multiple counts including 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, law enforcement officials have listed.
Quick context and immediate impact
The shooting occurred late Friday night about a mile from the tournament property and prompted an immediate, multi-agency response that reached onto tournament grounds. Tournament organizers cited operational considerations in delaying fan entry while law enforcement secured the area and continued the investigation.
What happens next
Investigators will continue processing the crime scene, reviewing items handled by the suspect on the course, and coordinating between St. Johns County and Nassau County law enforcement as charges are formalized. Officials have said the case will proceed through local criminal channels and that community safety measures around the event site will remain active while investigators follow leads and prepare evidence for prosecution. Expect court filings and public updates from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and Nassau County deputies in the coming days, and security protocols at the tournament to remain under review as authorities complete their work near tpc sawgrass.
