‘Robbery Spree is Over,’ Escambia Sheriff Declares

May 20, 2025

Authorities have apprehended a man believed to be behind a series of armed robberies across Escambia County.

Deputies arrested DeShawn Donson, 21, on Sunday night following his latest alleged heist and a vehicle chase.

Escambia County Sheriff’s Chip Simmons announced Donson’s arrest at a press conference Monday afternoon. “I can tell you his robbery spree is over,” said Sheriff Simmons, noting the crimes spanned throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Deputies located Donson after an incident around 11 p.m. Sunday at the Raceway on Airport Boulevard. Surveillance video reportedly shows Donson robbing the store, holding the cashier at gunpoint before leaving with a bag of cash.

Having previously identified Donson as a suspect in other robberies, deputies were tracking him. As he exited the Raceway and entered an SUV, deputies attempted a traffic stop. Donson failed to comply, leading to a chase down Davis Highway that concluded when he pulled into the HCA Florida West Hospital parking lot.

A deputy crashed into Donson’s SUV in the hospital parking lot to end the pursuit. Donson then surrendered. Deputies recovered the bag of cash and a gun from the vehicle.

For Sunday night’s incident, Simmons stated Donson is charged with armed robbery and fleeing, among other charges. He was also subject to a federal armed robbery warrant.

Sheriff Simmons indicated that more charges are expected, as investigators have linked Donson to additional armed robberies throughout the county and city.

Donson is a convicted felon who served approximately six months in state prison in 2020. At 16, he was incarcerated for his involvement in the 2018 attempted murder and burglary of a woman.

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Comments

3 Responses to “‘Robbery Spree is Over,’ Escambia Sheriff Declares”

  1. Missy on May 27th, 2025 9:01 pm

    Let’s hope the judge dishes out a good sentence. The police did their jobs and got this horrible excuse of a person in jail.. now the judge needs to keep him there!

  2. Susie on May 20th, 2025 10:29 am

    This kid is rotten to the core. Hope he spends lots of years in Prison. Send him to Cross City Correctional. They have a way of correcting people.

  3. Charlotte on May 20th, 2025 9:32 am

    Hopefully, he’ll spend a lot of years in prison.





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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News