ORANGE PARK, Fla. – The victim of a shooting inside an Orange Park business last week told News4Jax that the shooter, James Cameau, smiled at him as he opened fire.
Cameau, 34, wounded Dean Hagins Jr. as he was running from Jacksonville Granite and later killed himself inside the business, deputies said.
Hagins spoke to News4Jax about the chilling events of that day, which have induced panic attacks in the 26-year-old.
“He walked past me. He stopped like 10 feet in front of me, turns around and smiles at me and shoots the gun,” Hagins said.
Hagins ran and was hit in the rear end by a bullet. He said he injured his back as he scaled a 6-foot fence to escape the gunfire.
“I jumped the fence. All I remember is climbing the fence and seeing that guy over there on the other side,” Hagins said. “I’m glad he was there.”
That neighbor, Ruben Guengue, called 911 to report the shooting and then handed the phone to Hagins when the dispatcher asked to speak with him.
Dispatcher: Hello, what's going on there? How'd you get shot?
Hagins: I'm at work, right. Jacksonville Granite.
Dispatcher: Somebody come in and shot you?
Hagins: A man shot me. He works with us. I don't know.
Dispatcher: What's his name? What is his name?
Hagins: I don’t know his name ma'am. I just started a week ago.
Dispatcher: OK, you just started a week ago? Stay on the line. I'm going to put Fire-Rescue on the line with you.
Hagins said he didn't really know Cameau, who had only been working at the business for a few weeks. Cameau left work, went to the hotel room where he was staying and retrieved a gun, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
Cameau returned about noon to the business on Industrial Loop West where about 10 employees worked.
Clay County Undersheriff Craig Aldrich said Cameau pointed the gun at several co-workers working outside the building, told them to run and then pulled the trigger.
The gun jammed twice. The third time, Cameau was able to fire off several rounds, hitting Hagins as he fled, Aldrick said. Cameau also fired at business owner Mike Rich's truck as he arrived at the scene, leaving bullet holes in the vehicle.
Cameau then locked himself in a room where he could monitor the business' video cameras and killed himself.
Hagins said he sees the chaos of that day every time he closes his eyes.
“It just keeps replaying in my head. You know, I don’t really know. I keep having panic attacks,” Hagins said. “I don’t know what’s causing it. They’re saying it’s from the actual shooting, I guess.”
Hagins, who is typically quiet and keeps to himself, was able to flash a child-like smile through his grief and lack of sleep while talking about the ordeal, which he said isn’t easy for him to do.
“I’m going to see a grief doctor and stuff. So, maybe that will help me out,” Hagins said.
But the question no one can answer for Hagins is when the emotional wounds heal once the physical wounds are gone.
He said he doesn't think he can go back to work at Jacksonville Granite after what happened.
“The other day, I went to go get a check, and I really, I actually broke down. I couldn’t stay in there. I had to leave,” Hagins said.
Hagins is worried about the bills while he's out of work. His family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover his medical costs.
Right now, Hagins can’t drive or even sit up regularly in a car.
And when he lays down at night, he sees Cameau smiling at him.
“That’s why I try to keep myself occupied with stuff, you know,” Hagins said. “But it doesn't really work.”