JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Investigators are looking for a person who shot a woman and left her for dead when she tried to stop a car break-in near her Riverside home.
A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said 911 dispatchers received a call from the woman as she was trying to confront the burglar outside her Myra Street home. During the confrontation, while she was still on the phone with the dispatcher, the burglar fired a single gunshot and then ran off, police said.
Later in the day, JSO released surveillance video of a potential suspect in the shooting.
When first responders arrived around 5:40 a.m., they found the woman lying unconscious in her driveway. She was rushed to the hospital but died from her injuries, police said.
Neighbors described the victim as a kind woman that spoke with everyone. They said she and her husband have lived in the neighborhood for about six years and that both served in the military.
Police said there were a series of car break-ins that night. They are hoping following leads on those break-ins helps officers obtain information that could lead to the suspected shooter.
Neighbors reported seeing and surveillance video showed a shirtless male in the area around the time of the break-ins. The spokesperson was clear that investigators are not certain if the male was the burglar, but are still seeking his whereabouts for questioning.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson believes it will be a challenging case.
“Outside of independent witnesses, outside of collecting evidence that may have been left at the scene such as latent prints or an item or something you can directly link to someone or surveillance cameras, it’s very difficult if you don’t have those things working for you,” Jefferson said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS. You can also submit tips at JSOCrimeTips@JaxSheriff.org.