Panama City Police have arrested five men, including a member of the U.S. Air Force, on various charges stemming from an investigation into a drive-by shooting last month.
According to a press release from the PCPD, Tahjamere Bradford, 19, and member of the U.S. Air Force, was arrested and charged with principle/accessory to aggravated battery with a firearm, principle/accessory to discharging a weapon from a vehicle, principle/accessory to grand theft, principle/accessory to grand theft of a firearm, principle/accessory to grand theft of a vehicle and principle/accessory to burglary by Panama City police.
Devontae Stovall, 27, was arrested and charged with felon in possession of a firearm, principle/accessory to aggravated battery with a firearm by the Panama City Police Department and principle/accessory to grand theft of a firearm by the Panama City Beach Police Department.
Isaiah Pierre, 18, was arrested and charged with felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, grand theft of a motor vehicle, grand theft of a firearm, armed burglary by the Panama City Police Department and principle/accessory to grand theft by the Panama City Beach Police Department.
Lamar Grissett, 19, was arrested and charged with armed burglary, grand theft of a firearm, grand theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated battery with a firearm, discharging a firearm from a vehicle by the Panama City Police Department and armed burglary and grand theft of a firearm by the Panama City Beach Police Department.
Ashanti Williams, 19, was arrested and charged with principle/accessory to grand theft, domestic battery, criminal mischief and battery by the Panama City Beach Police Department.
According to the release, an 18-year-old male was shot and received non-life-threatening injuries during the Sept. 22 drive-by shooting in the area of 14th St. and Mack Lewis Drive.
Through the course of the investigation, detectives received information indicating that the male who was shot was an intended target of the shooting, and there has been no evidence that it was a random act. The suspect vehicle description for the incident was disseminated and detectives continued to pursue leads.
The PCPD has also been investigating an increasing trend of crimes believed to be related, the press release states. These crimes have included a stolen vehicle, stolen firearms and vehicle burglaries taking place throughout the Panama City area. It was also learned that the Panama City Beach Police Department and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office have been investigating similar cases, the release states.
While investigating a burglary that occurred on Wednesday morning, PCPD detectives developed a suspect vehicle description from CCTV footage in the area. The description was similar to that of the suspect vehicle from the drive-by shooting being investigated. That information was disseminated to surrounding agencies and in the early morning hours on Thursday, a vehicle matching that description fled from a PCPD patrol officer who was attempting to stop it for a traffic violation.
A description was again relayed to surrounding agencies and the vehicle was later spotted in Panama City Beach by BCSO deputies. Once stopped, the driver was detained and detectives were summoned to follow up on the investigations. The driver of the vehicle at that time was identified as Bradford. It was later learned that Bradford was a member of the U.S. Air Force and the Office of Special Investigations at Tyndall Air Force Base was contacted and responded to support the investigation, the press release states.
The release added that detectives followed investigation leads to a local hotel in search of more suspects and stolen property. A search warrant was obtained for the associated hotel rooms and was jointly executed by the PCPD and the PCBPD. During the execution of the search warrant, six additional suspects were detained and four firearms were recovered, as well as high capacity magazines.
One of those firearms was identified as having been stolen at the same time a vehicle was stolen Tuesday night, in the area of Briarcliff Road in Panama City. Through the course of the joint investigations, it was determined that the vehicle Bradford was operating had been used during the commission of the drive-by shooting and several burglaries throughout the Bay County area, the press release states.
These cases continue to be active investigations, with additional charges expected,.
The Panama City Police Department would like to thank the citizens who have contributed, as well as the Panama City Beach Police Department, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and Tyndall Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations for their assistance. Anyone having any information in reference to this case should please contact the Panama City Police Department, 850-872-3100, or you can report your tips anonymously via smartphone by downloading the “Panama City” Tip411 app in the Apple App Store or Google Pay Store.
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