JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was shot in the stomach Wednesday evening as he was leaving a gas station on Golfair Boulevard, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
The gas station clerk told authorities he thought someone set a firecracker off in the store about 7:30 p.m. He called the police when he saw the man had been shot, according to JSO. Investigators said ShotSpotter also alerted them to the incident.
Gas station surveillance footage shared with News4Jax shows the 62-year-man buying beer and ice cream, then leaving the store. The man was shot in his stomach before leaving the parking lot. Video shows the victim returned to the store and made a phone call.
“(The robber) took everything and snatched it from the bag,” a woman close to the victim told News4Jax. “(Makes) no sense at all.”
Police said the man had non-life-threatening injuries. The victims’ friend said he’s undergone three surgeries.
“He’s in the hospital and for how long, I don’t know. How many surgeries?” she asked. “Life just changed overnight.”
“The suspect is still out there out there somewhere and I hope he gets caught I feel deep within my soul that he’s going to get caught,” she said.
If you have any information about this shooting, call JSO at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).