PANAMA CITY BEACH — Three people have been arrested after a drug deal escalated into a shooting at a Panama City Beach home over the weekend, authorities said Monday.
Two of the arrests stemmed from possessing and attempting to conceal drugs within 401-A Lantana St. after 25-year-old Justin Lisk was shot in the stomach with a small-caliber handgun Sunday at about 2:30 p.m. Panama City Beach Police suspect the shooting occurred in the midst of a robbery for drugs and cash, which initially was arranged as a drug deal, according to Beach Police Chief Drew Whitman.
“They went over there with plans to rob them instead of going through with the drug deal,” Whitman said. “The robbery went bad and they ended up shooting a guy in the stomach.”
Clarence Bernard Robinson, 23, was arrested about 10 p.m. that evening on a litany of other charges and also was charged Monday with armed robbery and aggravated battery after being identified as the triggerman, police said. PCBPD has a warrant out for Garrison Warrender, 25, as a principal to the robbery and shooting, and police are searching for a third person who has yet to be identified.
One visitor to the home told police he knew there would be trouble when three males circled the apartment in a Lincoln Town Car before parking. A short time later, a single crack of gunfire resonated from the home. Several vehicles scattered from the home as the remaining people inside called for police and tried to conceal various drugs, according to arrest affidavits.
Jake McReynolds, 26, called for an ambulance as he and his girlfriend, 24-year-old Katie Foley, scrambled to hide various narcotics within the home, police reported. During their investigation, police found a vial of LSD in a laundry detergent bag, a digital scale in a cardboard box on the back porch and a cannabis cigarette in an empty bag of charcoal.
Foley told police she was awakened by the gunshot and began to care for Lisk’s wound until she was told to help “clean up” the scene. The drugs discovered throughout the house were previously on the floor of the room where Lisk was shot. Police said McReynolds also was in possession of a trafficking a quantity of MDMA, commonly known as Ecstasy or Molly.
McReynolds was charged with trafficking MDMA, and Foley was arrested for tampering with evidence. Lisk is currently in the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries, police reported. Whitman said he expects drug-related charges to follow his release.
Panama City Police arrested Robinson at 15th Street and Balboa Avenue after officers spotted the Town Car thought to be connected with the shooting. Warrender and the third suspect were dropped off earlier, police said, when officers stopped Robinson. During their search, police said they found Robinson had a loaded firearm in his underwear along with marijuana, crack cocaine and suspected “bath salts.”
Robinson was taken to the Bay County Jail, where guards found more marijuana on his person during their intake search, police said. He was additionally charged with introduction of contraband to a correctional facility and violation of probation due to his new charges.
Police were seeking information on the whereabouts of Warrender on Monday evening. PCBPD was encouraging anyone with information to contact police at 850-233-5000.