Pensacola Police investigators have charged 16-year-old Kanye Dewayne Walker with unlawful possession of a firearm by a person under the age of 18, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (Principle in the second degree). Walker was observed on surveillance video handing Nicholas Safford the firearm that he used to fire shots. The investigation is continuing to determine who or what was struck by those shots. Additional arrests are forthcoming in this case.
At Mayor D.C. Reeves’ weekly press conference last Wednesday, Police Chief Eric Winstrom announced two arrests: Nicholas Safford, 26, of Daphne, Ala., charged with aggravated assault, discharging a firearm on scene and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and his girlfriend, Lillian Meyers, 25, of Escambia County, charged with tampering with evidence and accessory after the fact for allegedly removing a gun from the scene. Investigators believed at least three firearms, all handguns, were used in the mass shooting incident.
On July 10, the attorney’s office added an attempted first-degree murder charge to Safford’s offenses. According to court documents, PPD has a surveillance video allegedly showing Safford arguing with Sheppard before the shooting. The PPD report states, “Safford is seen with another male. Safford met the male in front of 200 South Palafox Place where that male gave Safford a gun.” Safford then raised the firearm and pointed it in Sheppard’s direction as shots began to ring out.
Today’s arrest shows that investigators believe Walker is the male who hand Safford the gun.
Stay tuned.
