On Saturday, February 4, 2023, 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.
Within minutes, deputies and Florida Highway Patrol Troopers were on 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, hitting 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.
The suspect, Ernest Jett, Jr., did not have a weapon when he was arrested.
However, the K-9 Tracking Unit was able to locate various items of evidence and, eventually, the weapon.
Jett was arrested and transported to the Houston County jail. He will await extradition back to Jackson County where he will face an Open Count of Second-Degree Attempted Murder and numerous other felony charges.
Sheriff Edenfield would like to thank the Florida Highway Patrol, Alabama Law Enforcement Highway Patrol and Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza and his team for their assistance taking Jett into custody.
