JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As May comes to an end, it marks the most violent month that Jacksonville has seen since the start of the new year.
While News4Jax records show a 20% drop in people shot this year than last, News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said the community as a whole should be concerned -- no matter where you live.
“A crime has a propensity to take on feet and walk, and it may walk to your neighborhood,” Jefferson said. “So you have to be concerned about it. Get together with your community, community organizations, decide once and for all we’re not going to let this happen in our neighborhood.”
News4Jax records show there have been 45 people shot and six killed in Jacksonville this month -- the most known shootings of the year.
According to News4Jax records:
In January, 39 people were shot, 11 of whom died.
In February, 28 people were shot, 12 of whom died.
In March, 24 people were shot. Of those, four died.
In April, 34 people were shot. Of those, nine died.
In total, 175 people have been shot in Jacksonville this year, including 19 children and teenagers.
Weekend violence
Over Memorial Day weekend, there were six shootings in Jacksonville from Saturday morning to Monday morning.
About 2:40 a.m. Saturday, police said, a teenage boy with multiple gunshot wounds walked into an area hospital. Police described his injuries as non-life-threatening. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a witness called police, indicating the shooting happened at an apartment complex on Firestone Road.
Shortly after 7:40 p.m. Saturday, police were called to a shooting on Norfolk Boulevard. Shortly after police arrived at the scene, two men with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds walked into a local hospital.
About 8:45 p.m. Saturday, the Sheriff’s Office learned a man with a gunshot wound was being admitted to an area hospital. The man said he was walking near the intersection of East 16th and North Main streets when he heard a gunshot and felt a pain in his back. According to the Sheriff’s Office, an unknown person drove the man to the home of the man’s brother, who then took the man to the hospital.
About 8:20 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a ShotSpotter call on Boulevard Street. Police said they found a man who had been grazed by a bullet on the left side of his torso. Shortly after, police learned another man was being admitted to a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators said they believe a woman and one of the men were in an argument and, at one point, the woman went to her car and got a handgun. Police said the two then became involved in a physical struggle over the firearm and a single round was fired, striking the two men. Police said they’re looking for a black Chevrolet Cruz driven by a 30- to 40-year-old woman. Police said it is believed she may have been involved in the altercation and dropped off one of the men at the hospital.
About 10 p.m. Sunday, police responded to a shooting on North Main Street near Busch Drive. Police said they found an 18-year-old man suffering from a single gunshot wound to the side. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators said they learned the man was traveling south on Main Street when someone fired one shot at his vehicle. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a witness reported the suspect vehicle might be a white Mercury Grand Marquis.
About 2:20 a.m. Monday, police were called to a shooting near Pickettville Road and Commonwealth Avenue. While investigating, police learned that several adults had arrived at area hospitals with a range of injuries believed to be related to the shooting. The Sheriff’s Office did not specify the number of shooting victims or the extent of their injuries. On early Monday morning, police had the Waffle House and what officers called a mud hole near the parking lot blocked off with crime scene tape. At the mud hole, at least 15 evidence markers could be seen surrounding a black truck, and investigators were picking up what looked to be shell casings. It also appeared there were beer cans left behind.
Police are investigating a mud hole off Commonwealth Ave & Pickettville Rd. JSO says several adults arrived at hospital w injuries believed to be related to shooting overnight. Counted 15 evidence markers, shell casings & beer cans. This #MDW alone, 6 shootings in Jax. @wjxt4 pic.twitter.com/HlozmuKfCb
— Brittany Muller (@BrittMullerNews) May 31, 2021
No arrests have been announced in any of those cases. Jefferson said JSO needs to have more community engagement other than sheriff’s walks. He said JSO needs to show people about them and the crime in their neighborhoods.
The violent weekend in Jacksonville comes on top of a wave of mass shootings reported across the country.
“You have to look back at the root cause since the pandemic, and people who have been shut in isolating, and gun sales have gone up as well as violence,” Jefferson said.
Not only during Memorial Day weekend, but always, Jefferson advises people to be aware of their surroundings and be responsible.
Anyone with information about any of the weekend shootings in Jacksonville is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or email jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).