JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A child who was found at an Arlington apartment complex suffering from a gunshot wound was shot in the head, according to a police report obtained Tuesday by News4Jax.
Much of the report from the Sheriff’s Office was redacted. An officer originally told News4Jax that the child was believed to be either 11 or 12 years old and that the shooting was believed to be accidental. Police were dispatched to the scene at Oak Hammock Apartments at about 11:20 p.m. Friday.
Neighbors told News4Jax on Tuesday that it was an 11-year-old boy who was shot. One neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said she ran to the apartment to help. She said the boy’s siblings told her that four teenage boys ran out of the apartment after the gun went off.
“The mother came out the door screaming, and she was terrified,” the neighbor said. “The other children in the house were terrified. One came out with a blanket and said his brother was shot in the head.”
The police report said the child was unresponsive when he was rushed to a hospital for treatment. It’s unclear how the child was shot. The police report did not say an arrest was made.
“I have a 9-year-old nephew who lives in the same building and he was a friend of his,” another neighbor said. “It’s very disturbing because it makes me fear for his safety.”
It’s unclear if police still believe the shooting was accidental.