Authorities said Xavion Perry III fled after a woman was fatally shot at a Gainesville condominium complex.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Police searched Daytona Beach on Wednesday for a Gainesville homicide suspect who authorities said fled a traffic stop, abandoned a car near the Main Street beach approach and disappeared after running toward the Main Street Pier.
The search centered on Xavion Marquee Perry III, 31, who police said is wanted in a fatal shooting that killed a 23-year-old woman Tuesday night in Gainesville. Investigators said the woman and Perry had been in a dating relationship. Daytona Beach police called Perry armed and dangerous, and Chief Jakari Young said patrols were increased while officers worked with other agencies to find him.
Gainesville officers responded shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday to Creeks Edge Condos at 1810 NW 23rd Blvd. after several callers reported gunfire in the area. Officers found the woman with a gunshot wound and tried lifesaving measures, police said. She died at the scene. Investigators said Perry left the area right after the shooting, setting off a search that moved from Alachua County to Volusia County within about 90 minutes. Young said at a Wednesday briefing that the shooting was “domestic in nature.” Police had not released the woman’s name as of Wednesday night.
Daytona Beach police said Perry’s vehicle was spotted shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in Daytona Beach. Officers tried to stop the 2021 black Dodge Charger, but Perry drove away, authorities said. Police said he later stopped at the Main Street beach approach, left the vehicle and ran toward the Main Street Pier. Young said video showed Perry jumping from the pier area to the beach below, a drop police estimated at about 20 feet. Officers lost sight of him on the beach, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office joined the search soon after.
Authorities described Perry as a Black man who is about 6 feet, 1 inch tall with a medium build. Police said he was last seen wearing all black clothing, white socks and white sneakers. Young said investigators recovered the vehicle but did not find the firearm believed to be tied to the Gainesville shooting. “Residents, don’t approach him and notify police,” Young said. He said officers also reviewed reports that Perry streamed live on social media during the incident, displayed a gun and made suicidal statements.
Young said police were concerned by reports that Perry had made statements about “suicide by cop,” a phrase law enforcement uses when a person appears to be trying to force officers into a deadly encounter. “We were informed that at some point, he was streaming live on social media, where he displayed a gun, and he made suicidal statements,” Young said. “So I can tell you that no stone is being left unturned.” Police said they did not know whether Perry remained in Daytona Beach, but officers continued treating the area as a possible search zone.
Daytona Beach police said Perry’s record includes a felony grand theft charge and misdemeanor charges involving domestic violence and resisting without violence. Young said Perry did not have convictions tied to those charges. Authorities also said they did not believe Perry had family in Daytona Beach or that he was being helped by others in the area. The Alachua County investigation remained active, with Gainesville police and other law enforcement agencies expected to release more information as detectives continued reviewing the shooting, the chase and Perry’s possible movements after officers lost sight of him.
The search brought added patrols to one of Daytona Beach’s busiest oceanfront areas, where visitors and residents saw more police near the pier and beach access points Wednesday. Korina Trynoski, a vacationer, said the larger police presence made her feel more comfortable because children were nearby. John Tsirikos, who said he spends several months each year in Daytona Beach, said he has long felt safe in the city but found the search unsettling. “It’s kind of scary,” Tsirikos said, adding that the main concern was getting the suspect off the streets.
By late Wednesday, police said Perry had not been captured and the weapon had not been recovered. The next expected update was to come from law enforcement agencies handling the homicide investigation in Alachua County and the search in Volusia County.
Author note: Last updated May 28, 2026.