ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The surveillance footage captured some of the moments that lead up to the deadly shooting early Thursday out of a St. Augustine pub, which police said was helpful in making an arrest.
Police said 34-year-old Vance Wilkins was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the deadly shooting of 50-year-old Jason Mullins.
The shooting happened around 1:45 a.m. in the parking lot behind The Pub on Anastasia and O’Steen’s Restaurant on Anastasia Boulevard just over the Bridge of Lions near Davis Street.
Officer Dee Brown, public information officer with the St. Augustine Police Department, said at a news conference Friday afternoon that Wilkins and Mullins exchanged words at the bar and in the parking lot before the fatal shooting.
It’s unclear what the two were arguing about or what led to the shooting.
Brown said parts of the incident were caught on surveillance video, which caught Wilkins’ vehicle leaving the scene.
“The surveillance was a big part of us solving the case so there’s surveillance not of the entire incident was caught on surveillance, but we do have surveillance and we’re piecing it all together,” Brown said.
The report said Mullins was seen walking toward Wilkins’ Toyota Tundra and appeared to shake Wilkins’ hand. Wilkins then drove away and parked his truck behind the O’Steen’s, the report shows.
At some point, the report said, Mullins walked out of the British pub toward a dirt alleyway, and Wilkins walked toward the pub making what investigators said appeared to be gestures related to “manipulating a concealed weapon.”
According to the report, Wilkins walked to Mullins’ location, and that’s when the shooting happened. The report states that Wilkins ran back to his truck and left the area afterward.
Brown said that with the assistance of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office, officers were able to get a search warrant for Wilkins.
Brown was clear that there was not a physical fight inside the pub.
Investigators also said there were multiple witnesses.
One witness told investigators that they saw a man wearing dark clothing shoot at Mullins and then they saw him fall to the ground. Then, the witness told investigators, they saw the same man stand over Mullins and continue to shoot at him from close range.
Mullins was shot 10 times, according to Wilkins’ arrest report.
Another witness said they received a text from Wilkins around 1:30 a.m., which was about 15 minutes prior to the shooting, saying he was “about to kill someone.”
The owner of The Pub on Anastasia James Wilson knew Mullins and said he frequented his bar often.
“We’re all trying to put on a good face and show that we care about Jason,” Wilson said.
Wilson also said it’s been difficult to process Mullins’ death.
“Jason is always with people. He’s always happy. He always got his girlfriends,” Wilson said.
Even though the shooting had nothing to do with The Pub, Wilson said he will add more security and security cameras.
Police are continuing to investigate.
Watch the entire news conference below: