JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Kaleb Floyd, a 17-year-old Jacksonville student, was killed in a shooting that injured four other teens on Tuesday in Oceanway, his family told News4JAX on Wednesday.
Floyd died and four others were hospitalized in the shooting that happened not far from First Coast High School, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
News4JAX talked to Floyd’s uncle Wednesday. He spoke on behalf of Floyd’s parents and said Floyd had a smile that could light up the darkest room and a heart of gold. They are now pleading for answers after his death.
“If you know anything, we plead with you that you come forward and tell the police whatever you know. Help us locate this person,” said uncle Robert Herring II.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said units were called to the intersection of Duval Station and Starratt roads at 2:20 p.m. in reference to the shooting. He said the victims drove to Lanier Road, where their vehicle was found.
JSO said there were multiple witnesses to the shooting and investigators were on scene collecting interviews.
“We identified initially, potentially a silver SUV. We are looking for additional details on that,” Stronko added. He asked anyone with information to contact authorities.
Meanwhile, Floyd’s family is heartbroken. They say it is surreal knowing someone shot and killed him near an intersection where a CrimeStoppers sign now stands.
“He was a kindhearted, loving young man,” Herring said. “Loved his sisters dearly, loved his mom and dad dearly and he was the type of person that just wanted to get everybody to see what he really was which was a fine young man who had a big future.”
Floyd’s family members held onto each other as they were overcome with emotion at the scene of the shooting.
“My family and I have truly, just truly been in a state of emotional despair,” Herring said.
As of Wednesday evening, no arrests have been made and no suspects have been named.
Herring said his family needs answers for whoever took his nephew’s smile away.
Tuesday’s deadly shooting is just one of several recent gun incidents near First Coast High School, though Floyd’s family didn’t want to say which high school he went to. A 14-year-old girl was arrested Tuesday after she was found with a 40 caliber handgun on campus. And last week, there was a shooting on the same road where a teen was shot in the leg in a car in a parking lot.
JSO told News4JAX it is unclear if any of the incidents are related.
JSO’s gang unit was at the scene on Wednesday, but it’s also unclear if the shooting was gang-related.
An online fundraiser has been started to help help the family. You can donate here.