JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville's early year homicide numbers continued to see a significant drop from the same time last year with nine February homicides, including the shooting death of a 7-year-old boy.
Tashawn Gallon's murder drew outrage from the community after he was caught in the crossfire of a gun battle while playing in the front yard of a home.
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Also among the nine killed in February were two out-of-town men slain in a double shooting and a transgender person killed in a hotel room.
By the end of February last year, News4Jax had recorded 27 homicides in 2017. Through the first two months of 2018, Jacksonville is at only 18 homicides.
RELATED: Jacksonville homicides in January 2018
Last year, News4Jax records showed 141 homicides in Jacksonville. In 2016, we counted 120 homicides.
Below, we have listed the names and ages of the February homicide victims and the information surrounding their deaths. We have also included a photo of each victim, where available. Previous mugshots were used only when no other photo was available.
Many of the cases remain unsolved. If you have information about any of these crimes, call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
Thursday, Feb. 1
Veta Muller, 41
Muller was shot at least five times, including once in the face, on the front porch of a home on Grothe Street in Northwest Jacksonville, according to Jacksonville police. She died during surgery at a hospital, police said. Officers initially were called to the scene by ShotSpotter.
Sunday, Feb. 4
Cedric "Celine" Walker, 36
Police said Walker, who was transgender, was found shot inside a room at the Extended Stay America hotel near the St. Johns Town Center. A transgender advocacy group called for change after police initially identified Walker as a man.
Sunday, Feb. 4
Michael Thurman Jr., 40
Thurman was found shot on W. 6th Street near Huron Street in Northwest Jacksonville. He died at the hospital, police said. His death was later ruled a justifiable homicide and the case was cleared, according to police.
Thursday, Feb. 8
Antonio Aulet, 38, and Angel Pastrana, 24
Police said Aulet, of Orlando, and Pastrana were found dead of gunshot wounds in the parking lot of the Magnolia Terrace Apartments on Jammes Road in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Dozens of shots were fired and two other men were seen running from the area, police said. They have not caught the killer(s).
Thursday, Feb. 8
Rebwar Khalid Mohammed Alkurdi, 34
Police said Alkurdi was found shot after an apparent home invasion robbery at a home on Century 21 Drive in the Holiday Hill neighborhood. He died at the hospital. Police had no description of the killer.
Thursday, Feb. 8
Jennifer Renee Embree, 37
Embree was found dead inside a Pine Estates Road home after what police described as a drug-fueled shooting on Jacksonville's Northside. Another man was shot multiple times, police said. Justin Clark Williamson, 30, was later charged with murder and attempted murder in the shooting.
Friday, Feb. 9
Shawn Floyd, 36
Police said Floyd was shot multiple times and killed outside an Eastside Gardens apartment on East First Street. Police have not identified the shooter.
Sunday, Feb. 18
Tashawn Gallon, 7
Tashawn was playing in the front yard of a home on Mount Herman Street in the Durkeeville neighborhood when he was caught in the crossfire of a gun battle, police said. Dominique Holcomb, 23, was also shot but was treated and released from a hospital, police said. They later charged Holcomb with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon but he is not charged in Tashawn's murder. An SUV believed to have been involved in the drive-by that sparked the gun fight was later found by police but they have not made any more arrests yet.