Latest news with #PanamaCityBeachPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
3 teens arrested after deadly shooting in Panama City Beach
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – The Panama City Beach Police Department has arrested three teenagers in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred Tuesday night. According to a news release, authorities working in the area of the Waffle House located at 10327 Front Beach Road, heard gunfire coming from the parking lot shortly after 10 p.m. Authorities responded quickly and found 19-year-old Ja'Dion Love Hughes suffering from a gunshot wound. Hughes was taken to Ascension Sacred Heart, where he later died from the injuries. The course of the investigation revealed that a physical altercation happened in the Waffle House parking lot over the purchase of an illegal firearm. Authorities said that during the altercation, 18-year-old Ja'Zai Mitchell allegedly shot and killed Hughes. After the shooting, 18-year-old Kiydre McCullough attempted to dispose of the weapon by hiding it in bushes nearby before he fled the scene with Mitchell in a red Chevrolet Camaro. The authorities said that as the suspects were fleeing, Mitchell disposed of another firearm by throwing it from the vehicle into the shoulder of the road. Soon after, authorities located and stopped the vehicle, taking Mitchell and McCullough into custody. Mitchell is being charged with Second Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, Tampering with Evidence and Grand Theft of a Firearm. McCullough is being charged with Accessory After the Fact to Second-Degree Murder, Accessory After the Fact to Attempted Murder and Tampering with Evidence. The third suspect, a 16-year-old, is being charged with Violation of Probation and has been transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice for processing. Mitchell and McCullough have been transported to the Bay County Jail to await their first appearance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gulf Coast Jam garners 100,000 people over four days; tickets already going fast for 2026
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Despite some weather delays and a mandatory evacuation from lightning, Rendy Lovelady says the 2025 Gulf Coast Jam was a success. As executive producer of the popular country music festival, Lovelady said the event garnered a combined 100,000 people over its four days. It was held May 29 to June 1 at Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach. "We had close to 100,000 people in the park over the four days," he said. "The event) helps the community. ... It helps feed people. It fills the restaurants up. It fills the hotels up. It's just a great thing. "It also draws international attention to our little beach here." The 2025 Gulf Coat Jam featured performances from headliners Sam Hunt on Thursday, Lainey Wilson on Friday, Tyler Childers on Saturday and Blake Shelton on Sunday. Stormy weather conditions caused delays on Thursday, and an evacuation on Friday, but operations ran smoothly Saturday and Sunday. Lovelady credited the event's success in the wake of challenges to its volunteers and first responders, as well as contributing organizations, including the Bay County Sheriff's Office and Panama City Beach Police Department. He noted ticket combined attendance for 2025 was about 20,000 less than in 2023, which holds the record as the best year in the event's history. That said, he is confident 2026 will be another record-breaking year for the festival. On Thursday evening, officials announced the entire lineup for next year, sparking a surge of ticket sales unlike anything Gulf Coast Jam has ever experienced. "When we announced our new lineup, we sold almost four times faster in the four days of the festival than we've ever sold," Lovelady said. "This next one is going to be huge." The complete lineup for 2026 is: Thursday, May 28, 2026 − Gannon Fremin, Walker Montgomery, Cooper Alan, Wyatt Flores, Treaty Oak Revival and headliner Keith Urban. Friday, May 29, 2026 − Hueston, Cole Goodwin, Brent Cobb, Jackson Dean, Marcus King and headliner Chris Stapleton. Saturday, May 30, 2026 − Hannah McFarland, Ashland Craft, Josh Ross, Ole 60, Koe Wetzel and headliner Riley Green. Sunday, May 31, 2026 − Skeez, Them Dirty Roses, Elizabeth Nichols, 49 Winchester, Muscadine Bloodline and headliner Post Malone. Attention jammers: Gulf Coast Jam 2026 lineup announced: Headliners include Riley Green and Post Malone For more information on the event, or to purchase tickets, visit visit See more coverage at This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Gulf Coast Jam 2025 garners 100,000 people over four days
Fox News
16-04-2025
- Fox News
Florida spring break destination town done with college crowds: 'That time is over'
A popular Florida spring break destination is finished hosting hordes of college students each year, according to the town's top law enforcement official. "Panama City Beach can no longer be a Spring Break town," Panama City Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said on the department's Facebook page Sunday. "That time is over. Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges. I'm not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works." In the coming weeks, Talamantez said, police will have "serious discussions" with stakeholders in city leadership roles "about the future of the Spring Break season." "And let me be clear, our law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community," he said. "It's unfair to continue placing that weight on the backs of the men and women who serve and protect this city every day." In the post, Talamantez thanked those who visited the town and did not cause trouble. "To the future doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and leaders who came here for a break, you're appreciated," he said. "You made memories, enjoyed the beach, and showed respect. Most of you went home without problems, and that's exactly how it should be." He had stern words for troublemakers, though. "If you came with guns, bad intentions, and no respect for this city, we saw you. You thought you could blend in and get away with it," he said. "You were wrong. Our officers were ready, and many of you ended up in handcuffs. "Some of you fired shots over petty arguments and social media drama. And when the cuffs went on, the tough act disappeared. Our officers didn't see hardened criminals. They saw scared kids crying in the interview room. TikTok doesn't show that part, but our body cameras do." The city has long been a hot spot for college students looking to catch some sun in March and April, but also for the trouble that comes along with thousands of visitors. For several years, the police department has used various strategies to deter spring break crime. In 2023, police deployed K-9s to combat drug use and leaned on surveillance cameras in an attempt to keep revelers under control. In 2022, police arrested more than 160 people during a spring break incident when hundreds trashed a Walmart. They seized 75 guns from that case alone. "The crowd that has been here this weekend, there is no words that can describe the way they have behaved themselves, conducted themselves, and the amount of laws they have broken," Talamantez said at the time. That same year, spring breakers were so raucous police closed two miles of city streets. Fox News Digital reached out to the Panama City Beach Police Department.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Panama City Beach police say town is done with spring break: 'Go somewhere else'
A northwest Florida city is declaring that its time as a hotspot for spring breakers has come to an end, saying it "can no longer be a Spring Break town." Authorities in Panama City Beach, about 100 miles from Tallahassee, said they are calling it quits when it comes to spring break. "Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges," Panama City Beach Police Department Chief Eusebio Talamantez (J.R.) said in an April 13 statement on Facebook. "I'm not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works." Talamantez said the city's "law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community." "It's unfair to continue placing that weight on the backs of the men and women who serve and protect this city every day," he added. Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, in a statement on Facebook, said over 200 officers from the sheriff's office, Panama City Beach Police Department, local agencies, and our state law enforcement partners were deployed during the busy spring break. The authorities faced "risks head-on to protect our residents, visitors, and businesses," according to the sheriff. To punish those "who came here to bring trouble" with "guns, bad intentions, and no respect for this city," Talamantez said his officers and team caught several who thought they "could blend in and get away with it," adding many of them ended up in handcuffs and crying in the interview room. "Some of you fired shots over petty arguments and social media drama," Talamantez said. "When the cuffs went on, the tough act disappeared. Our officers didn't see hardened criminals. They saw scared kids crying in the interview room. TikTok doesn't show that part, but our body cameras do." Echoing Talamantez's comments, Ford said despite efforts by authorities to maintain harmony during the season, "spring break still draws some visitors with bad intentions—folks bringing guns, starting fights, or disrupting our community." While Ford did not explicitly cancel spring break, he said his office is looking forward to working with the city administration, residents, business owners and community leaders to sharpen strategies to deter bad behavior and ensure everyone feels secure. The police chief said he plans to hold "serious discussions with stakeholders and city leadership," about the future of spring break season, an event, he says, "no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community." "Panama City Beach is a safe, family-focused community," Talamantez said. "We've worked too hard to build that, and I won't let a group of criminals destroy it." Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer told Panama City News Herald, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, that his administration is "fully committed to making Panama City Beach as safe as it can be for the people who live here and those who visit." "I support our law enforcement and am working with those who care about keeping the beach safe and strong," Tettemer told The News Herald. Talamantez's statement comes on the heels of a chaotic spring break season on the beach, the News Herald reported. While the season is still winding down, the area has seen shootings and disorderly crowds. Officers reportedly seized firearms and illegal drugs at the gatherings. On the flip side, in Talamantez's statement, he thanked those "who did things the right way," and appreciated "future doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and leaders who came here for a break, made memories, enjoyed the beach, and showed respect." "To the good visitors, you'll always be welcome. To the idiots, go somewhere else," Talamantez said. Last year, Miami Beach, another spring break hotspot, had said they were "breaking up" with spring break following a chaotic season. "We're breaking up with spring break," the Miami Beach website had said. "Expect curfews, security searches and bag checks at beach access points, early beach entrance closures, DUI checkpoints, bumper-to-bumper traffic, road closures and arrests for drug possession and violence." This year, the city released a reality television-style scripted video to warn visitors of the strict rules in place. Contributing: Dylan Gentile, Panama City News Herald / Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@ and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Panama City Beach police chief says time as spring break town is over
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Three arrests made in connection to Panama City Beach double homicide
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Police responded to a call on Tuesday at 5:16 p.m. of shots being fired at the Sunnyside Apartments. Upon arrival, officers discovered two females suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers attempted life-saving measures, but the victims were pronounced dead on the scene. 'The two victims in this case are related. The two victims in this case are really young. And there's nothing we can say to speak towards this tragic act of violence,' Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez said. The primary suspect in the case was identified as 26-year-old Milan McKelvey, who Chief Talamantez says resided at that location. Talamantez says McKelvey was in a relationship with one of the victims, and had a history of domestic violence. 'Our records and investigative efforts show that he had recently that we have recently arrested him for domestic battery by strangulation on one of the victims. About two weeks prior to this incident, he was arrested for this case, sent to the county jail, and he posted bond on that case on March 13th. The court issued him a no contact order, which obviously he paid no he didn't pay no mind to,' Talamantez said. BREAKING: Primary suspect arrested in Panama City Beach homicide Police say McKelvey fled the scene in his vehicle and left it in a Publix parking lot on Highway stepfather, Marwan Gordon, picked up his car and began driving into Walton County. At 6:33 p.m., deputies with the Walton County Sheriff's office located McKelvey's was arrested and charged with accessory to capital murder. He was transported to the Walton County Jail. Further investigation revealed that McKelvey was picked up by his mother, Tangela McKelvey, on the west end of Panama City Beach. 'If somebody calls you and says, 'I just killed somebody and I need get out of town,' I think you should call the police and not pick them up,' Talamantez said. Police say they began to drive north towards Alabama. They were apprehended by the Montgomery Sheriff's office at approximately 10:30 p.m. 'Both Mr. McKelvey and his mother were taken into custody without incident. They are currently being held in Montgomery County, Alabama. Mr. McKelvey is being charged with two open counts of murder. His mother is being charged with accessory to capital murder,' Talamantez said. Talamantez says they are both awaiting extradition. 'They are still currently up there processing evidence, primarily the vehicle and we hope to have them back in bay county to answer for their crimes relatively quick,' Talamantez added. This is still an active investigation. If you have any information please call the Panama City Beach Police Department at (850) 233-5000. The family of one of the victims has started a GoFundMe. To donate, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
