Update: 5:30 pm
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office just announced that the second two suspects turned themselves in. All six shooting suspects are now in custody.
"They finally made a smart choice," Sheriff Bill Prummell said. "We will now work with the State Attorney's Office to make sure they get what's coming to them"
Update: 4:30 pm
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s office says a Facebook Marketplace sale in Port Charlotte turned into a violent robbery and shooting Thursday night, and two suspects are still on the run. Fox 4’s Austin Schargorodski was on Explorer Road Friday afternoon as law enforcement continued to investigate.
The road was lined with squad cars and dozens of deputies could be seen walking out of a nearby apartment complex.
Watch to see what the CCSO investigation looked like Friday afternoon:
The sheriff’s office says a man and his brother drove to a spot near Nomad and Melville Roads to buy an item they found on Facebook. Deputies say six people suddenly surrounded their car, and one climbed into the backseat to put the driver in a chokehold. Then, two others opened fire and hit the driver in the neck.
Trevor Burch and Tosh Averill live nearby on Explorer Road - they say they were shocked to walk out to dozens of squad cars and the road shut down.
“A cop came and rolled his window down and let us know what he thought was going on. He was telling us to stay inside, get your kid inside,” Burch and Averill said.
The sheriff’s office says the driver is expected to recover. They say four suspects have been arrested: 21-year-old Ilyjah Madison, 16-year-olds Cameron Nelson and Elijah Winsett, and 15-year-old Shaheen Williams. Deputies say they’re facing charges for armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
However, the sheriff’s office says the two still on the run are 18-year-old Jaquan McStay and 17-year-old Izaiah Harris, who are both considered armed and dangerous.
Even so, Burch and Averill say the heavy police presence has kept them calm. “At this point it’s not really very scary, you know, because there’s like 20 cops down the street with AR’s, dogs and ballistic shields. It’s crazy,” they said.
Deputies urge anyone with information or Ring video to call CCSO or Crime Stoppers. They also want to remind buyers they can use the sheriff’s safe-exchange parking spots for online sales.
ORIGINAL REPORTING:
Four suspects have been arrested in connection with an armed robbery in Port Charlotte on Thursday, while two others remain at large and are considered armed and dangerous, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff says the robbery happened during a Facebook Marketplace meet-up.
Friday afternoon deputies were still at the scene, blocking off Explorer Rd.
The suspects arrested on July 3 have been identified as Ilyjah J. Madison, 21, Cameron Nelson, 16, Shaheen Williams, 16, and Elijah Winsett, 16. All four are being charged with armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Madison is awaiting medical clearance before being formally brought into custody.
The victim and his brother met up with the supposed buyers near Nomad and Melville roads when their car was surrounded by six people, according to deputies.
The victim who was shot is expected to fully recover.
Investigators are still searching for two additional suspects: Jaquan A.K. McStay, 18, and Izaiah M. Harris, 17. A warrant for armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery with a firearm has been issued for McStay, while a juvenile pick-up order with the same charges has been issued for Harris.
"The suspects involved ranged from 16 to 21 and are no strangers to the Sheriff's Office at this young age. We try to help those in need get on the right track as best we can, but when it comes to crimes such as this, there are no exceptions. They continue to disobey the laws, and now it has escalated to this. Perhaps now we can get them sent away for a while," Sheriff Bill Prummell said.
The sheriff issued a direct message to the two suspects still at large: "I want to issue a strong notice to the two remaining. It would be in your best interest to turn yourselves in because we are coming and we will find you!"
Prummell praised his staff for their work on the case.
"I want to commend my uniformed personnel for their quick response and organization which led to the apprehension of the four. I would also like to commend my investigators, forensics unit, and analysts who worked tirelessly following leads and collected evidence, ultimately building this case. They are top notch and I couldn't be more proud," Prummell said.
The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office reminds people that all district offices have designated safe exchange parking spots that can be used for sales such as those via Facebook Marketplace. These areas are monitored by video surveillance cameras to ensure the safety of both buyers and sellers.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of McStay or Harris is asked to contact the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office at 941-639-2101 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
