A Belle Glade man arrested Wednesday on an attempted murder charge is the latest suspect to land behind bars in connection with two Okeechobee County shootings from early this month.

Ethan Harris, 26, is being held at the Palm Beach County jail without bond.

Harris is accused of shooting Okeechobee County resident Javaris Johnson, 24, in the back as Johnson was riding his three-wheel motorcycle along Front Street at about 11:30 p.m. on July 2, according to the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office.

Jarvis Johnson was able to keep riding until the end of the block, where he veered into an empty lot, Sheriff’s Det. Ted Van Deman said.

A past dispute over rental property prompted the shooting, Van Deman said.
Johnson had been competing against Okeechobee resident Byron Brinkley, 29, over a lease agreement to open up a bar at the corner of Front and Fifth streets, Van Deman said. In the end, Johnson outbid Brinkely.

When Jarvis Johnson’s cousin, Tarrance Pryor, 30, heard that he had been shot at, he went to confront one of Brinkley’s acquaintances, 29-year-old Keith “Ki-Ki” Johnson, Van Deman said. Keith Johnson ended up shooting Pryor with a pistol, Van Deman said.

Keith Johnson fled the scene but was arrested later that night during a traffic stop. Brinkley was also arrested that night on charges of helping Johnson flee.

Harris fled the scene and it took some days before investigators were able to pin him down as a suspect for Jarvis Johnson’s shooting.