In a scene straight out of the old west, a group of riders on horseback was ambushed by a man who emerged from the woods and fired “dozens of rounds” at them, Florida deputies said.
Ernest Jett Jr, 47, is in the Houston County, Alabama Jail after firing dozens of rounds from an AK-47 Pistol during an ambush at people attending an equestrian event in Jackson County, Florida, wounding one.
On Saturday, Feb. 4, around 3:30 p.m., the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of someone being shot in the area of 2110 Hook Way, just north of Campbellton, near the Alabama State Line.
Within minutes, deputies and Florida Highway Patrol Troopers were on the scene. Law enforcement quickly determined that a single suspect came out of a wooded area and fired dozens of rounds at a group of horse riders, striking one victim.
“A perimeter was quickly established, and the K-9 Tracking Unit was activated. Houston County, Alabama, deputies were also notified in the event that the suspect crossed the state line. Around 4 p.m., the suspect was seen just across the Alabama state line crossing Highway 231 on foot, and was apprehended by the Florida Highway Patrol without incident. “
One rider was hospitalized with a gunshot wound, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The victim was identified as veterinarian Susan Wells of Lillian, Alabama, and she was standing near her horse trailer when a bullet went through her left calf, Al.com reported.
The suspect, Ernest Jett, Jr., was captured “without incident” by the Florida Highway Patrol.
He was not armed, but a search dog found a weapon in the area, along with other evidence, officials said.
Jett was being held in the Houston County jail as he awaited extradition to Jackson County, where will be charged with “second-degree attempted Murder and numerous other felony charges,” officials said.
Officials said the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency in this incident and will have more information as the case develops.
Sheriff Edenfield would like to thank the Florida Highway Patrol, Alabama Law Enforcement Highway Patrol, Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza, and his team for their assistance in taking Jett into custody.
Luckily, the shooting resulted in only one victim being hospitalized with a gunshot wound, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The victim was identified as veterinarian Susan Wells of Lillian, Alabama, and she was standing near her horse trailer when a bullet went through her left calf,
Although no motive was established for the shooting, Jett lives on nearby land and “had visited the camp a day earlier and complained about the riders.
Congratulations are in order for the Jackson County, Florida Sheriff’s Office, the Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Highway Patrol, and the Florida Highway Patrol for an outstanding job of apprehending the shooter in short order.
This isn’t a “gunman”, this a Democrat attempted murderer junkie doing his typical thing… be glad it was a pistol, not a rifle, so he could barely hit anybody…