Crime & Safety

Drive-By Shooting Suspect Arrested

Police have arrested a man and charged him with attempted homicide, a felon in possession of a firearm and shooting into an occupied vehicle.

The suspect who allegedly shot multiple rounds into a Pontiac Sunfire Sunday has been arrested by St. Petersburg Police. 

According to police, they approached 24-year-old Rashawn Harold Summers as he left the Criminal Court Complex in Clearwater on an unrelated charge today. 

Summers, police said, fled from detectives as they approached to arrest him. He was apprehended after a short foot pursuit.

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Police said Summers was wanted in connection with yesterday's drive-by shooting at 18th Avenue South and 22nd Street in which the victim, Julius Simons, was shot at least four times.

Simons, 19, remains hospitalized in stable condition with non-life threatening wounds.

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According to the police report, Summers shot into Simons' Pontiac Sunfire after his car pulled up next to his at a red light. 

A white four-door sedan pulled up next to the Sunbird and shots were fire at the Sunbird. 

According to St. Petersburg Police, in an attempt to escape, the driver of the Sunbird drove through the intersection, ran a red light and struck a silver Chrysler Le Baron, which was entering the intersection with the green light.

The suspects in the white sedan, according to the police report, continued to fire at the Sunbird after the accident, striking the Le Baron as well.

Summers is being charged with attempted homicide in the first-degree, a felon in possession of a firearm and shooting into an occupied vehicle.

Detectives believe Summers fired at least eight rounds from an assault rifle at Simons' car while seated in the white Infinity four-door sedan, which still remains at large.

Police said at this time the motive for the shooting is still under investigation and detectives are seeking to identify the other three subjects seen in the Infinity with Summers.

According to Pinellas County Jail records, Summers has a lenghty criminal history including more than a dozen arrests since 2006. 

Anyone with information can call the non-emergency number at 727-893-7780, Text-A-Tip to 727-420-8911 or leave a confidential tip at 727-892-5000.


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