Who is Christopher Lawrence Cox? Florida gunman warns Louisville stepbrothers 'I'm going to shoot you,' kills 1
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA: On Tuesday, March 23, two teenage Louisville boys were shot, one fatally, while vacationing with family in Florida. According to a spokesperson for the City of Panama City Beach, the boys are stepbrothers, both 14 years old.
The shooter, identified as Christopher Lawrence Cox, 37, lives near Panama City Beach but is from Louisville. He was taken to Bay County Jail on charges of murder and attempted murder. After his arrest, police said he made "incriminating statements about his involvement." The police department stated that the boys encountered Cox on the beach, but no further details were immediately available about what led to the shooting. The police indicated in a news release that while it happened during spring break season, it was not spring break-related. The incident happened near the Shores of Panama, a 23-story beachfront resort on the Gulf of Mexico.
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The police also said that one teen was found dead at the scene once emergency crews arrived, and the other was rushed to a local hospital. “We have a 14-year-old victim that has died as a result of a homicide. We take that very seriously,” Panama City Beach Police Lieutenant J.R. Talamantez said.
A family member, told WAVE 3 News in a telephonic interview that the boys were walking on the beach when Cox approached them and asked for a cigarette. Cox did not leave the boys alone, and allegedly said “You better run for the ocean because I’m going to shoot you,” before shooting at the boys, the family member said.
A city spokeswoman said that Cox had actually moved from the Louisville area to Panama City Beach in 2020. The police statement issued on March 23, made no mention of whether Cox knew the family from his time in Louisville, calling that a coincidence.
According to Neighborhood Scout, "With a crime rate of 77 per one thousand residents, Panama City Beach has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 13."