JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police are investigating another deadly shooting in the Eureka Garden Apartments on Jacksonville's Westside. This time a resident told officers he shot a man trying to break into his apartment.
It happened at 1:40 a.m. Sunday at the apartments on Labelle Street, just off McDuff Avenue.
Germaine Dubose told officers he shot a man who kicked in the door of his apartment and charged at him about 1:40 a.m. Sunday. Police found Altone Finne dead inside the unit.
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Inside the apartment with Dubose were his wife, a 6-week-old child and an adult friend.
"He's given us an indication that he may have known the individual," Sgt. Dan Jansen with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said at the scene. "Then again, he's on his way downtown where detectives can do an extensive interview with him."
After questioning Dubose, police said the case appears to be justifiable but remains under investigation.
Finne was the third person shot and killed at the apartment complex on Labelle Street this year and the second in a week. On Monday night, 15-year-old Demantrae Franklin was shot in the back several times behind a Eureka Gardens building. He was taken to UF Health where he later died.
The apartment complex has a troubled history that has concerned neighbors for years. A nearby church held a closed door meeting to address the issue. News4Jax spoke to residents who did not want to be identified who thought the meetings would help.
"I don't think it's going to grow you know as far like as the crime itself. I think it's going to go down a little bit."
Another woman says it'll take more than a meeting to curb the violence.
"It's like a baby step."
"If they keep doing it, but if they're just talking, why even waste words?"
"I feel like they should tear these apartments down and move people somewhere else."
Officers said several witnesses reported hearing shots but no one saw much of anything. JSO has no suspects in Franklin's death at this time. If you have any information on this murder or the shooting from early Sunday morning, you're asked to call crime stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.