ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg Police have arrested a suspect connected to a deadly shooting and crash in the Historic Old Northeast area of the city, according to the St. Pete police public information office.
Police charged 31-year-old William Shutt with first-degree murder, attempted murder in the first degree and residential burglary following last week's deadly incident.
According to police, Shutt opened fire at a black BWM shooting and killing one man, identified as Quentin Hicks, and injuring another.
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The BMW then crashed into a tree around 20th Avenue NE and 1st Street North. It happened around 4:21 p.m. on March 27.
“He’s everything to me. He was always good to me, from our childhood years," said Jermaine Childs, the victim's best friend from childhood.
Childs and others lit candles Wednesday night, thankful police made an arrest in the case.
"A ton of relief off my chest, you know, going countless nights being not able to sleep. It’s just a relief for me," said Childs.
Investigators tracked Shutt down after his girlfriend reported that he broke into her home on 15th Street North.
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Police say Hicks did not know Shutt and the suspect had the opportunity to drive away, but instead fired two shots into Hicks' car.
"We’re just glad that he got justice so we got piece of mind that we know who did this," said longtime friend Jade Heredia.
The suspect, later identified as Shutt, was seen in the area in a blue SUV. Authorities released a composite sketch of the suspect last week.
"The first call we got was the car that crashed into the tree and then a minute or two later we got a call about shots heard in the area," St. Pete police PIO Yolanda Fernandez said.
Neighbors returned home from work to a massive crime scene. Many were out walking with their dogs and children at the time of the shooting.
"This is a really quiet neighborhood," Karina Brown said.
Brown lives across the street from the first crime scene where the two men were shot near 17th Avenue North and Bay Street, just a couple of blocks from where the car crashed.
"It’s just shocking this would happen here. So, I am anxious to hear myself what happened. It's really scary."
"Terrifying, I mean we are out walking the dog everyday it’s not something you would expect from this part of town, this neighborhood, and it makes you think twice," Hanna Segal said.
Police released video of the vehicle being driven by the suspect just after the shots were fired in the BMW.
