The night of July 4, Pensacola’s night sky was lit up by fireworks and the sounds of families and friends celebrating the birth of our nation.
The morning of July 5, just hours later, the streets of downtown Pensacola were lit up by gunfire and the screams of people fleeing in fear for their lives.
In what will be remembered as a tragic day in Pensacola history, a years-long feud exploded into extreme violence that left six injured and one person dead. Nearly two weeks later, the fallout is still unfolding, with three people arrested and one person found dead when police attempted to take him into custody.
Here is how the tragedy unfolded.
July 5: One killed, six injured in downtown Pensacola
July 6: Shooting sparked by a years-long feud
July 8: Two arrested in downtown Pensacola shooting
July 9: Video shows Sheppard and Safford argued before shooting
July 10: Safford’s charges upgrade to attempted premeditated murder
July 13: 16-year-old charged as principal to aggravated assault
July 14: Police say Safford didn’t fire fatal shot
July 16: Suspected killer found dead
Benjamin Johnson is the breaking news, crime and military reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He covers local law enforcement, courts, breaking news and military within Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. He can be reached at bjohnson@pnj.com.
Kevin Robinson is content editor of the Pensacola News Journal and previously spent nearly a decade as a crime reporter, community solutions reporter and watchdog reporter for the PNJ.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: 11 days, 7 shot, 2 dead, 3 arrested: Timeline of downtown Pensacola shooting
Reporting by Kevin Robinson and Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kevin Robinson and Benjamin Johnson, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
