LAKE BUTLER, Fla. - Two women were shot to death on Tuesday and the person suspected of killing them was found dead after leaving the scene and taking off on I-75.
According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, around 4:30 p.m., shots were reportedly fired in the Providence area of Union County.
What we know:
Deputies who went to the scene said they found two women dead from apparent gunshot wounds.
The suspect, later identified as Jason Holton, 42, left the area in a four-door 2020 Black Ford F-150.
Investigators said Holton’s ex-girlfriend was in the process of moving out with the help of a friend she had developed a relationship with when he shot both women.
They added that Holton and the woman had been together for about 13 years.
According to UCSO, members of the suspect and victim’s family were at the scene at the time of the incident.
While assisting the victims and gathering witness information, deputies at the scene were able to reach the suspect on the phone.
The UCSO contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to help with the crime scene and double homicide investigation and a statewide notice went out.
Dig deeper:
Holton was found traveling south on I-75 by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said they tried to pull him over, but the driver sped away at a high rate of speed.
Deputies began chasing the vehicle south on I-75.
The trooper conducted a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) to get the suspect to stop due to the extreme violence associated with the Union County incident and the high rate of speed on the interstate.
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According to ACSO, the PIT maneuver caused the vehicle to come to rest on the west shoulder of the interstate.
Troopers and deputies said they worked together to contain the scene and gave numerous commands for the driver to get out of the vehicle.
The ACSO SWAT team, aviation unit, Gainesville Police Department Drone Unit, and ACSO Negotiations Response Team were activated.
After not getting a response for an extended period of time, members of the SWAT Team used specialized equipment and tactics to approach the vehicle, where they said they found Holton dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was the only person in the vehicle.
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What they're saying:
Union County Sheriff Brad Whitehead stated, "Our prayers are with all the families of those involved in this tragic incident affecting our community. Thank you for the tremendous efforts of so many great law enforcement agencies that assisted us with this investigation."
In a statement on social media, the Alachua County sheriff posted, "As I listened to the initial dispatch advising that a person believed to have just committed a double homicide was possibly traveling through Alachua County, I heard the voices of men and women from law enforcement agencies across this county immediately step forward with what can only be described as a unified call of ‘send me.’ There was no hesitation and no reluctance, only courage and an unwavering commitment to protect innocent lives.
Law enforcement agencies worked together, utilizing every available resource and methodically covering every possible route the suspect was believed to have taken. That coordinated effort ultimately led to one of our patrol deputies locating the vehicle as it attempted to flee the area on Interstate 75. That deputy performed exceptionally, remaining calm, providing critical information to responding units and ensuring the suspect did not escape.
Working together, Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Florida Highway Patrol troopers placed themselves directly in harm’s way, standing firmly between evil and innocence."
The Source: This article was written with information posted by the Union County Sheriff’s Office.