JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In the last five days, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has responded to at least 11 calls for shots fired in the city.
Several people were wounded and two people were killed.
Keith Oglesby, the co-president of Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation & Empowerment or ICARE, says that this violence is something they’re working to combat because it’s sad that the residents must deal with this.
ICARE is a group comprised of different congregations that help address citywide concerns.
Keith Oglesby wants the number of shootings in Jacksonville to go down.
“It’s heartbreaking obviously for the people shot [and] obviously for those who are victims,” Oglesby said.
Earlier this month, the group hosted an event to call for an end to gun violence.
There they called for JSO to work with the National Network for Safe Communities to improve the violence intervention program they’re currently using.
“When we have the national network come in with their assessment of how we’re doing, it’s not just a JSO or law enforcement issue it’s all of us, what can we do differently,” Oglesby said.
Last week, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said JSO is making progress in the city with violence and the department has already worked with the National Network for Safe Communities.
“But the national network themselves say (not to) expect agencies and cities to contract with them indefinitely,” Waters said. “You learn the process. You work the process...I hired people to help us make those connections and we’re doing it the right way.”