JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating a drive-by shooting that killed a 13-year-old boy and injured others in Northwest Jacksonville.
The shooting happened Saturday evening at the intersection of New Kings and Moncrief roads. JSO said four boys from the ages 11 to 15 years old and a 21-year-old man, who is believed to be their football coach, were headed home after football tryouts at the Legends Center when someone shot at the SUV numerous times.
The 13-year-old boy died from his injuries.
The driver and an 11-year-old boy were also shot. The other two boys in the vehicle were uninjured.
No motive or suspect information has been released.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters expressed his “frustration” with reoccurring shooting incidents around the city at the news briefing Saturday night, and the community has also been speaking out about the senseless violence.
Director of Investigations and Homeland Security Shawn Coarsey called this situation “disturbing.”
“Anytime a kid’s life is taken, if it’s a horrible event, it affects the whole community, and that includes JSO and police,” Coarsey said.
AJ Jordan with MAD DADS said this is tragic for our community.
“That young man was only 13. His mother and father were probably out buying gifts and getting prepared for Christmas. Now they’re going have unwrapped gifts under the tree this year,” Jordan said.
The Northside Coalition of Jacksonville released the following statement regarding the shooting:
“We must interrupt the norm of gun violence in our city and make clear that we will not allow it to continue. This is a tragic and heinous crime and the perpetrators must be brought to Justice. These culprits must be identified arrested and adjudicated. We will not allow them to run rampant in our neighborhoods. If you know who they are [sic] Turn them [sic] In.”
According to the JSO homicide grid, this is the 11th person killed under the age of 18 in 2022.
If you have any information on this incident, call CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS or JSO’s non-emergency number at 904-630-0500.