JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A mass shooting Sunday night near Reese Park off Ken Knight Drive North in Northwest Jacksonville left five young men injured.
The victims, two 17-year-olds, an 18-year-old, a 19-year-old and a 20-year-old, showed up around 10 p.m. at Fire Station 26 off Commonwealth Avenue about 6 miles away with multiple gunshot wounds. News4Jax is not naming the victims because the shooter or shooters have not been caught.
The young men were taken to UF Health Jacksonville with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police believe that they were shot at a party, but they don't yet know who fired the shots or why.
Remnants from the party could be seen around the area of the shooting, along with broken glass from vehicles hit by the gunfire.
Police said they found a mess when they arrived. They said everyone had left and no one wanted to give them information about what happened.
Neighbors said they are not happy.
The JSO crime-mapping tool shows dozens of crimes reported within a half-mile of the area in the last month:
- 7 burglaries
- 2 incidents of criminal mischief
- 2 robberies
- 1 aggravated domestic battery
- 8 batteries
- 4 petty thefts
- 1 affray (fighting)
News4Jax crime analyst Gil Smith said he’s worried that more violence will come after Sunday's shooting, because a lack of cooperation can be an indicator that the victims plan to retaliate.
He said he believes that the men were targeted and that the shooter or shooters knew they would be there.
“Usually (when) you have something like this with very young people involved, it's either going to be gang-related, drug involvement or some type of dating incident,” Smith said. “It's going to be one of those three things or a combination of those.”
News4Jax found a bullet at the scene and turned it over to police.
Smith said police are probably not going to be able to solve the crime without help from the community.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500. Tipsters can remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a reward by calling First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.