ECSO: 1 dead, 1 missing, 1 arrested, 1 'fighting for life' after Pensacola drive-by

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons called a press conference Tuesday morning to explain exactly what happened during the drive-by-turned-chase that ended with a woman shot, a suspect dead and another suspect missing.

Simmons said three suspects were connected to a drive-by shooting Monday that left a 70-year-old woman shot in the neck and "fighting for her life." The suspects reportedly unloaded 40 rounds on Erress Boulevard near Massachusetts Avenue, leading to a police chase throughout the city and county before a PIT maneuver ended the pursuit on the Escambia River Bridge near Scenic Highway.

"All three get out, two jump over the bridge, (and) one more decides to go to the other side of the bridge and jumps into the water," Simmons said during the press conference.

After jumping from the bridge one suspect, age 20, died after the impact and the other suspect is still missing, Simmons said. Deputies did arrest 19-year-old Jaquaris Ethridge for attempted felony murder of the woman and felony murder for the death of his alleged accomplice.

Simmons said investigators are returning to the bridge Tuesday to look for the third suspect. He also said investigators believe the shooting is retaliation for the fatal drive-by shooting on June 20 that left 22-year-old Terrell Owens dead.

Pensacola Police told the News Journal that Owens died at the corner of Gonzalez and M streets and that investigators were looking for a white SUV with potentially up to three suspects.

How did the car chase begin?

Prior to the shooting, Simmons said a camera notified the Real Time Crime Center that a stolen vehicle had been spotted, so ECSO patrol deputies made their way to Erress Boulevard in Brent. However, before deputies arrived, ShotSpotter notified the RTCC of 40 shots being fired on the same road as the vehicle.

Deputies then found the vehicle and began the pursuit.

"The pursuit was rather lengthy," Simmons said at the press conference. "It started at Massachusetts (Avenue) and Market (Street) then goes down Palafox northbound, then turns around Palafox southbound.

"It goes to Fairfield (Drive) and Interstate 110 to Interstate 10," Simmons continued. "Then it gets off at Scenic Highway and then goes toward Highway 90 where those two roads merge."

After getting to the bridge at the end of Scenic Highway, the ECSO performed the PIT maneuver.

ECSO K-9 injured after jumping off bridge while pursuing suspect

During the chase, K-9 Streeter was used to chase the suspect who is currently missing. Video shown during the press conference shows Streeter chasing the suspect and subsequently jumping off the Escambia River Bridge during the pursuit.

"K-9 Streeter does what he's supposed to do. He does what he's trained to do," Simmons said. "He's trained to chase and apprehend bad guys no matter where they go, no matter what they do."

Streeter sustained minor injuries during the fall and was treated at the Davis Animal Hospital Emergency Center. He will be on "desk duty" until the end of the week.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola drive-by shooting injures woman, suspect dies Escambia River