JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 19-year-old man died after being shot several times Tuesday afternoon on Shelby Creek Road South, in a neighborhood off Normandy Boulevard just west of Herlong Recreational Airport, according to police.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Ra’Kwon Leon I’Man Backey was fatally shot about 1:20 p.m.
A friend of the victim's mother told News4Jax he was shot in the driveway of the home, which neighbors said they moved into about a year ago.
"She's a hardworking person. She was at work, finds out that a tragedy had taken place at her home," family friend Frank Gorman said.
He said the area doesn't see much crime.
"This is a neighborhood of hardworking people and this is like the last place you'd expect something like this to happen," Gorman said. "It's ridiculous, man. These are American streets. This is not supposed to happen. We're civilized people."
Neighbors said the violence was unusual, especially in the middle of the day.
“(It's) pretty safe for the most part. I mean, they've had some incidents, but it's pretty safe otherwise,” said Linda McLaughlin, whose son lives in the neighborhood. “A car theft across the street, the girl that lives across the street from him, she almost got her car stolen and was held at gunpoint, but she got away. This was about a year ago.”
McLaughlin’s said despite that incident, her son and grandchildren felt safe in the neighborhood until Tuesday's deadly shooting.
According to the JSO crime map, there have been nine crimes, about half of which were car break-ins, reported within a half-mile of the Westside home since the beginning of May.
Gorman said his friend's son had his whole life ahead of him.
"Lives matter. We've got to start taking life seriously," Gorman said. "Keep the family in your prayers. And if anybody knows anything, of course ... come forward and say something so that justice can be done in this case."
A CrimeStoppers car made more rounds Wednesday in the neighborhood, asking neighbors for information.
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said that because this is a low-crime neighborhood, tucked away from busy roads, he believes the 19-year-old killed could have been targeted.
“It appears that he wasn't robbed. There was no robbery involved, so in cases like this, it usually involves money or something domestic, so I'm sure they'll be looking at his social media, looking at his cellphone, seeing if he had any conflicts with anyone -- boyfriend-girlfriend type thing, maybe a family member,” Smith said.
Anyone with information about the deadly shooting is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.