Gainesville woman killed in shooting; suspect possibly found dead in Volusia County, officials say
Search underway for Gainesville homicide suspect
Authorities in Volusia and Alachua counties continued searching Wednesday for a man accused of fatally shooting a woman in Gainesville before leading police on a chase to Daytona Beach and fleeing on foot. Investigators identified the suspect as 31-year-old Xavion Perry III, who is accused of killing a 23-year-old woman Tuesday night at a condominium complex in Gainesville.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Update (June 1): The Gainesville Police Department identified the victim as 24-year-old Brooke Elizabeth Smith.
Update (May 28): The Volusia Sheriff's Office said Thursday morning that a body believed to be Xavion Perry III washed ashore in the 35600 block of Ocean Shore. VSO said official confirmation was underway.
Xavion Perry III is a suspect in the shooting death of a 23-year-old woman on Tuesday in Gainesville, according to Gainesville Police.
Original story:
A 23-year-old woman was shot and killed on Tuesday night at an apartment complex in Gainesville.
Authorities are searching for a suspect who later fled from law enforcement in Volusia County.
What we know:
Officers responded shortly before 10 p.m. to Creeks Edge Condos at 1810 NW 23rd Blvd. after receiving multiple reports of gunfire in the area, Gainesville police said.
When officers arrived, they found the woman suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite lifesaving efforts, she died at the scene.
Police identified the suspect as Xavion Perry III, 31. Investigators said Perry fled the area immediately after the shooting, prompting officers to search for him and his vehicle.
During a May 27 news conference, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said the shooting stemmed from a situation described as "domestic in nature," Young said.
Suspect sighted in Daytona Beach
Shortly after 11:30 p.m., Perry’s vehicle was spotted in Daytona Beach, where Daytona Beach police initiated a pursuit with assistance from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. During the chase, Perry abandoned the vehicle and ran away on foot, authorities said.
"From what we can tell from video footage," Young said, "at some point he (Perry) jumped from back onto the beach – at which time we lost sight of him."
Who is Xavion Perry III?
Young said Perry's criminal history includes a felony charge of grand theft and several misdemeanor charges – domestic violence and resisting without violence. He currently does not have any convictions.
According to Young, at some point during the pursuit, Perry was live-streaming on social media, where he displayed a gun and made suicidal statements.
Watch: Full press conference
Daytona Beach Police search for murder suspect | FULL
Daytona Beach police are searching for a murder suspect that fled Alachua County. The suspect, identified as Xavion Perry III, was spotted by officers Tuesday night, May 26.
What we don't know:
Police said the murder weapon was not found in Perry's vehicle. Authorities don't believe Perry is being assisted or has family in the area, Young said.
Suspect description
What you can do:
If anyone sees Perry, officials are urging them to call 911 immediately from a safe distance and give law enforcement a full description.
Perry is described as being 6 feet, 1 inch, having a medium-sized build and wearing all black clothing, white socks and sneakers.
What's next:
The Alachua County Sheriff's office will be releasing more information regarding its investigation, Young said.
"I can tell you that no stone is being left unturned as it pertains to doing our best to try to locate the suspect," the chief said.
There's a possibility Perry is no longer in the area, police said. This investigation is ongoing.
The Source: This story was written with information released by the Daytona Beach Police Department and the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.