GAINESVILLE - Gainesville police continue to search for the killer of a Santa Fe College student, who was shot to death Thursday night.

Twenty-six-year old Eugene Shelton was shot and killed in the parking lot of Rocky Point Apartments.

The killing launched a manhunt that included K-9 units and a helicopter.

While GPD officials do not have a suspect, they believe they have a motive.

"Even though our detectectives have reason to believe that this homicide occurred as a result of a narcotics transaction that doesn't mean we take this investigation any less seriously," Cpl. Angelina Valuri said. "Any time a person's life is unjustfully taken from them, it's a top priority for the police to find out who did it, why they did it, and to give some closure to the family."

Gainesville police say it was a resident of the neighborhood who called police after they heard gun shots.

Shelton was driven to Shands by an unidentified person. 

He was taken into surgery but later died from the gun shot wound to his chest.