JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Friends told News4JAX that Randall Pitts was the man who was shot in a domestic incident on Sunday. Pitts died at the hospital.
His death marked the first homicide of the year in Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened at a home on Hidden Creek Road on Jacksonville’s Northside.
JSO said it did detain someone connected to the shooting and took them in for questioning. It’s unclear if anyone has been charged and News4JAX does not know the specific circumstances that led up to the shooting.
A friend of Pitts said he was loved. He was a husband, father and close friend to many.
“He kind of turned into like a bonus dad for me,” said Garrett Lloyd.
Lloyd said his heart is broken after learning Pitts was shot and killed last on the first day of the new year.
JSO said it was a domestic incident that led to the shooting. A neighbor told New they heard the gunshots looked outside and saw police.
A person at the house was questioned by detectives, but it’s unclear if anyone has been charged with a crime.
News4JAX records show 2022 had a 27% increase in homicides from the previous year. Breaking it down even further, our data shows a trend in January homicides: 2022 had 13, 2021 had 14. In 2020 there were 12. 2019 had the highest with 17. And 2018 had 9.
The numbers are just that, but behind that are loved ones and friends.
“Either like him or you didn’t,” Lloyd said. “He was really, he was a really good guy, he would do anything for you. He was just great all the way around. Now, some people liked him, and some people hate him. But it was just random. He was super funny, dude. People loved him.”
Now they’ll move into the new year with only memories of the man they loved.
News4JAX did look into Pitts’s background. He has a prior arrest for domestic battery and was served with a domestic violence injunction that was in effect for four years.
If anyone has any information, they’re asked to contact JSO through the non-emergency number (904) 630-0500 or if you would like to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.