Cantonment Man Facing Trafficking, Gun Charges After Drug Raid, May Shooting; Woman Also Arrested
September 25, 2026
A Cantonment man is facing multiple felony charges after a narcotics search warrant was executed at his home recently, and he has also been charged in connection with what was originally deemed an accidental shooting in May.
Antonio Krishawn Thompson, 22, remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond. Another resident, 54-year-old Tania Cassandra Eddins, was released on a $2,500 bond.
Narcotics Search Warrant
Members of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at Thompson’s residence on Pleasant Valley Drive as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation, according to arrest reports.
Deputies reported knocking and announcing their presence with no response before forcing entry and securing the home. Thompson was located on a couch in the living room area alongside an adult female, who began suffering convulsions and was transported by EMS to Baptist Hospital. Investigators reported detaining Eddins near the front door.
During a search of the living room area where Thompson stayed, investigators reported seizing:
- A black Ruger .357 revolver with ammunition on the floor beside the couch, along with a box of .357 ammunition on the coffee table
- A Ranger .22-caliber rifle and a Remington Model 700 rifle found on the floor beside an ottoman
- A pink safe containing 149 grams of fentanyl in a plastic baggie, 3 grams of loose fentanyl, 47 grams of methamphetamine, a black digital scale, and packaging baggies
- 18 grams of methamphetamine on a glass tray with a smoking pipe on the coffee table, a jar containing 13 grams of methamphetamine on the floor beside the couch, and 12 grams of methamphetamine on a shelf
- A box of sandwich bags on top of the couch and multiple cell phones
- $1,330 in cash found in Thompson’s front pocket
In total, investigators reported seizing approximately 150.5 grams of fentanyl, 123.5 grams of methamphetamine, and $2,084 in cash from the residence.
According to the report, deputies also searched Eddins’ purse, recovering a digital scale, a black zipper pouch containing liquid methamphetamine, and plastic baggies containing 10 grams of methamphetamine. Deputies stated Eddins claimed the methamphetamine belonged to her for personal use.
During an interview, Thompson claimed he did not own the pink safe or know the combination. He told deputies the rifles were in the living room because they had been moved from the kitchen and should have been locked in a large safe.
Thompson was charged with trafficking in fentanyl (4 grams or more), trafficking in methamphetamine (14 grams or more), and possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted Florida felon. Eddins was charged with possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. No charges had been filed as of yet against the woman who suffered the seizure and was transported to the hospital.
May Accidental Shooting
The drug raid came just over three months after deputies responded to the same Pleasant Valley Drive address for a shooting in the early morning hours of May 22. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office first said the shooting appeared accidental in the hours that followed.
According to an arrest report, deputies arrived around 3:38 a.m., walked up the driveway into an open garage, and found Thompson hopping on one leg and a female victim lying on her back on the ground, both suffering from gunshot wounds. Deputies applied tourniquets to Thompson’s left upper leg and the victim’s left knee before both were transported by EMS to Sacred Heart Hospital.
Behind a rocking chair, deputies spotted a Taurus .40-caliber pistol with the slide open and a spent shell casing nearby. While rendering aid, deputies reported seizing a baggie containing 3.4 grams of methamphetamine from Thompson’s pocket.
According to the arrest report, the victim told an investigator that she walked into the garage and saw Thompson sitting in the rocking chair cleaning a firearm and putting it back together when she heard a “pop” and saw blood.
Deputies reported that Thompson stated a friend had given him the handgun to clean. Thompson told investigators he noticed a round in the chamber, removed the magazine, and pulled the slide back to clear it. Thompson claimed that when he let go of the slide, the gun “misfired,” discharging a single bullet that struck both him and the victim. Thompson, who noted he had been released from prison the previous October, admitted there would be methamphetamine in his system, the report stated.
Deputies confirmed Thompson had a prior felony conviction from March 2024. Following that incident, he was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription (methamphetamine), and culpable negligence inflicting harm.
The woman that was shot during this incident was identified as the same woman who reportedly suffered convulsions when the search warrant.
Tate High School Student Abigail Lynch Named National Merit Commended Scholar
September 25, 2026
Tate High School student Abigail Lynch has been recognized as a Commended Student in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program.
The designation places Lynch among the highest-scoring students in the nation based on performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which she took during her junior year.
More than 1.2 million high school students across the country enter the program annually. Commended status is reserved exclusively for high performers who finish in roughly the top three to four percent of all test-takers nationwide.
Commended Students receive formal Letters of Commendation presented by their schools in honor of their exceptional academic promise. The national honor serves as a key distinction on college applications and can open the door to specialized corporate and institutional scholarships.
Ransom Middle School Names Students of The Month
September 25, 2026
Ransom Middle School named Carter Jarman and Calleigh Anderson as Students of the Month for August. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Florida Education Chief to Districts: Remove Sexually Explicit Books Before Parents Complain
September 25, 2026
Florida’s education commissioner is directing school districts to set stricter rules for reviewing library and classroom books or face “corrective measures.”
In a seven-page memo sent Wednesday evening, Commissioner Henry Mack told superintendents and charter school leaders to continuously audit books, review their collections and remove instructional materials that contain sexually explicit material, even if a parent or county resident has not submitted a complaint in that district.
“Reactive review,” is insufficient, wrote.
“Make no mistake, the Department will hold districts, and the superintendents who lead them, accountable for failing to protect students from inappropriate content and material,” Mack added.
The Department of Education followed up with its own social media post: “SEXUALLY EXPLICIT and INAPPROPRIATE content has NO PLACE in Florida schools. Florida school districts will be held ACCOUNTABLE for failing to protect our children from this type of content. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”
Mack cited a recent school board meeting in Hillsborough County where parents spoke during public comment and recited passages from books in circulation they deemed inappropriate for students, including “Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out” by Susan Kuklin, “A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas, and “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison.
“A review that remains incomplete, or that leaves parents to locate the next title, does not meet the duty required of you by statute,” Mack wrote. “Parents should not be required to place this material on the public record for district leadership to examine what is already in circulation.”
Mack wants school districts to cross-check the DOE’s official list of removed books with their own list of instructional materials and library books for review. In his memo, Mack said if a book is included on that list and was removed in another county, a district that has the same book is “required” to review it.
“Several districts, including Clay, Escambia, and Nassau, have already removed or discontinued substantial numbers of titles following review. Delaying until a district becomes the subject of the next public controversy is not an acceptable approach,” Mack wrote.
Current Florida law says a school district can review and remove a book after a complaint has been made that a book is pornographic, obscene or isn’t age appropriate. Books can also be removed as part of a regular selection process in which a media specialist can decide to remove them if they are outdated, rarely circulated or no longer relevant to the curriculum.
School librarians and media specialists are required to go through training to distinguish which books are age appropriate and to “err on the side of caution.” The training instructs librarians and media specialists that if they would not be comfortable reading the passage from the book in a public meeting, to “lean towards” not placing it in a school library.
The law does not explicitly require district personnel to immediately remove the book or to double check the list of already removed books in other districts for preemptive review.
Mack outlined a nine-point plan for the next 90 days for school districts to follow to improve their removals of age-inappropriate books from school shelves.
If a district does not comply, it risks losing state funds, grants, Florida Lottery money or any other funds appropriated by the Legislature.
“A process that depends on a parent discovering explicit material, reading it in a public meeting, and then forcing a district response is not only severely flawed; it is administrative neglect masquerading as either ignorance or ineptitude,” he wrote. “Whatever it may be, it is unacceptable and must end.”
by Ana Goñi-Lessan, The News Service of Florida
Lady Royals Hold Off Hard-Fought Northview Rally in Opening Set, Roll to 3-0 Win
September 25, 2026
The Jay Lady Royals tightened their grip on the top spot in the district Thursday night, sweeping the Northview Lady Chiefs 3-0 in Bratt.
The home-standing Lady Chiefs pushed the district leaders to the limit in a thrilling opening set, trading points down to the wire before Jay edged out a 27-25 victory. From there, the Lady Royals seized control of the momentum, taking the final two sets 25-13 and 25-16 to complete the sweep.
With the win, first-place Jay improved to an impressive 18-1 on the season while Northview slipped to 3-10 overall.
Up next, Northview will travel to Pensacola to take on Escambia on Monday, while Jay will host Pensacola High.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Volleyball Improves To 14-6 With Four-Set Win Over Fort Walton Beach
September 25, 2026
The Tate Lady Aggies picked up an away non-conference victory on September 24, defeating Fort Walton Beach 3-1.
Tate set the pace early by claiming the opening two sets 25-17 and 25-18. Fort Walton Beach answered in a tight third set, edging the Aggies 25-23, before Tate locked down the match with a 25-18 win in set four.
With the win, Tate improved to 14-6 on the season.
The Aggies return home on Monday to host the Milton Panthers at 6:30 p.m. Senior Night festivities will proceed the match.
ECFR Responds To Fire At Chili’s On Nine Mile Road
September 24, 2026
Firefighters responded to a fire at the Chili’s on Nine Mile Road on Thursday morning.
Multiple stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to the incident just after 9 a.m. at the restaurant at 529 West Nine Mile Road. Smoke was seen coming from the building.
There were no injuries reported and no word on the cause of the fire.
The restaurant was temporarily closed by the fire.
Additional details have not been released.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia County Man Arrested After Alabama Police Chase Ends In Florida
September 24, 2026
A 41-year-old Escambia County man is facing multiple charges after leading law enforcement on an interstate pursuit across the Alabama-Florida state line on Wednesday morning.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident began on September 23 when the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office alerted Florida troopers that deputies were pursuing a silver Hyundai Tucson traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 into Escambia County. Alabama authorities reported that the driver had fled a traffic stop and tossed items from the vehicle before crossing state lines.
Troopers responded to I-10 near mile marker 1 around 10:10 a.m. to assist. The pursuit was initially terminated when law enforcement lost sight of the speeding vehicle.
A short time later, officers located the abandoned Tucson at a park off Concordia Boulevard. The driver had fled the scene on foot, but authorities quickly tracked him to a residence on nearby Chimes Way, where he was taken into custody without incident.
FHP identified the driver as Terell Cargill of Pensacola.
A subsequent search of the abandoned vehicle uncovered suspected narcotics. Cargill was arrested by FHP and faces charges in Florida, along with additional pending charges originating from the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
No injuries were reported during the pursuit or subsequent arrest.
ECSO: Cantonment Woman Left Dog In Hot Vehicle While Feeding Stray Cats
September 24, 2026
A 70-year-old Cantonment woman is facing animal cruelty and trespassing charges after allegedly leaving a dog inside a hot SUV while feeding stray cats, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Su Chong Han charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty and trespassing.
According to an arrest report report, a deputy responded to an empty lot at 9050 North Palafox Street regarding a trespassing complaint and contacted Han, who stated she was on the property to feed cats. A records check revealed Han had previously been issued an official trespass warning for the location on May 21, the report states.
While being escorted to a patrol vehicle, Han told the deputy she had parked her white 2025 Kia Sportage adjacent to the lot at the former Ryan’s on Pensacola Boulevard near the Ensley Walmart, according to the report. Deputies said Han stated she had left her dog inside the vehicle with the windows rolled up and the engine turned off for approximately 30 minutes.
The deputy proceeded to the vehicle at 9000 Pensacola Boulevard and observed it turned off with the windows rolled up, according to the report. The deputy noted the dog was panting in the passenger seat and appeared to be extremely hot.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Escambia County Animal Control responded to the scene and took custody of the dog, and Han’s vehicle was impounded.
Han was booked into the Escambia County Jail and later released after posting a $1,000 bond.
Local Students Gather For ‘See You At The Pole’ (With Photo Gallery)
September 24, 2026
Students across the North Escambia area gathered on Wednesday morning for the annual See You at the Pole event.
Students gathered before school began to pray in the non-denominational event. See You at the Pole is a national student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led event. Students prayed for their school, friends, teachers, government, and the nation.
This year’s national verse is Matthew 11:28 (NIV): “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
At Tate High School, sophomore Trent Madden read Matthew 11:28 and reminded students that Jesus offers them rest and peace during the event, sponsored by First Priority.
Selected students then took turns praying for specific topics. Sophomore Rylie Gibbs prayed for students around the world who have little to no religious freedom. Senior Bristol Guy prayed for the nation and government, asking for wisdom, unity and peace. Madden prayed for Tate’s administration and faculty, asking that although they cannot openly share their faith in their roles at school, students would see Jesus through their actions.
Tate senior Brooklyn Ray prayed for kindness and understanding within families and homes. Junior Zach Mitchell prayed that students would be bold in sharing the gospel with their friends. Junior Emalyn Maxwell encouraged students and faculty to form small groups where they could share prayer requests and pray for one another.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Schools represented in the photo gallery include Byrneville Elementary, Beulah Academy of Science, Lipscomb Elementary School, Northview High School, Tate High School, West Florida High School, and Aletheia Christian Academy.
NorthEscambia.com and photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
