Michael Carstarphen, 28, was one of three people killed in a targeted ambush in Escambia County, Florida, on April 28, 2024. The shooting happened about 1:15 a.m. at an adult birthday party in West Jackson Square. Carstarphen, Markeese Turner, 26, and Trashawn Powers were sitting in a parked Ford Mustang convertible when shooters parked nearby, walked through a yard to approach the car, and fired multiple rounds at close range.

Carstarphen had been released from state prison on April 20, 2024, after a March 2023 sentence of two years for charges including fraud, drug offenses, and a gun charge. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office described the attack as a targeted ambush possibly in retaliation for a past incident. Deputies have seized the Mustang, cell phones, and other evidence and are seeking search warrants and more video to aid the investigation. No arrests or identifications of shooters have been reported.

If anyone at West Jackson Square that night has video or information, contact the Sheriff’s Office or CrimeStoppers.