ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — ST.PETE, FLA.- St. Petersburg Police closed 34th Street South after a double homicide suspect barricaded himself in a hotel room.
According to police, Andre Watkins, 35, was barricaded inside a room at the Bayway Inn. The motel is located at 4400 34th Street South.
Investigators said Watkins is a suspect in a double homicide from early Wednesday.
Around 3:50 p.m. police arrived at the motel. The motel was evacuated safely.
"Over the course of next several hours, we spent as much time as possible trying to get the suspect to come out and give up," said Assistant Chief Antonio Guilliam with the St. Pete Police Department.
Police said numerous tips led them to the man's location and they successfully arrested him.
"Police evacuated the motel, closed 34th St., South in both directions, and brought in the swat team to try to take the suspect into custody safely. After four hours the man was arrested without incident to the cheers of a large crowd gathered near the scene."
Andre Watkins is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jerome Clark and Larrisha Williams.
Police said they were found shot to death in a car in the 1400 block of 34th St. South on Wednesday, February 3.
