JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An 18-year-old woman was killed and a 21-year-old man hospitalized after someone fired shots into the vehicle they were sitting in at the Wickshire Apartment Homes on Lane Avenue.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday. Based on evidence markers at the scene, more than a dozen shots were fired. A homicide detective said the shots likely came from a rifle.
Both were taken to the hospital, where the 18-year-old, who friends have identified to News4Jax as Malika Johnson, died.
Detectives said it appeared the two victims were targeted and did not have any information about the gunman they could provide.
Police said some of the shots fired hit the surrounding apartments but no one inside those buildings was injured.
Social media was flooded with friends expressing devastation over Johnson’s death, including "I loveee youuu girl,” “looking at this just put me in tears” and “me love you I’m broken!!!!!”
Johnson is the second woman killed since Saturday in this neighborhood. Saturday night, 25-year-old Gabby Crutcher was killed in a hit-and-run right outside the apartment complex. That driver has not been found.
Hours before her death, Johnson had posted her outrage over Crutcher’s death on social media, saying they both lived in the same apartment complex.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said the crimes may not be related, but certainly it’s a cause for concern.
“You have back to back crimes. Two young women killed. This can cause a lot of tension in a neighborhood,” Jefferson said.
Johnson said social media could be critical in solving both these crimes.
“The young people can sometimes divulge information. Sometimes in code. Sometimes direct. Putting information out,” he said.
Anyone with information on either incident is urged to call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
