JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – At the Dollar General on Kings Road in Jacksonville’s Grand Park neighborhood, three makeshift memorials still stand adjacent to the road in front of the store paying tribute to the three victims of the racist attack.
Other memorials are still present across the street at the park at Almeda.
Life has gone on, but the memory of what happened nearly one year ago is still felt by many in the community.
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Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman leads this district and thinks about last year’s mass shooting every day.
“It was just so emotional that day,” Pittman said. “And every time I talk about it in depth, I still get emotional.”
Monday, Aug. 26 will mark one year since a 21-year-old gunman from Clay County opened fire, killing Angela Carr, Anolt “AJ” Laguerre, Jr., and Jerrald Gallion before turning the gun on himself.
Sheriff T.K. Waters said writings the gunman left behind made it clear the attack was racially motivated.
On Sunday, one day before the one-year mark, Pittman will host a memorial ceremony alongside the Jacksonville-based advocacy group 904ward. A historical marker is set to be unveiled at the park.
Thinking back on that tragic day, Pittman remembers the grief, but also unity.
“When I got there, and a couple of my colleagues, we were there together,” Pittman recalled. “The sheriff was there, the mayor was there. And I can tell you is, I’ve never seen anything like that before. All we could do was pray.”
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Dr. Kimberly Allen is the CEO of 904ward. She says the nonprofit works to create racial healing through conversations, building relationships, and advocacy.
“We never want to forget Angela, AJ, and Jerrald,” Dr. Allen said. “Their lives were stolen from their families and from the folks who loved them the most.”
During the ceremony Sunday, 904ward will host a traditional soil collection. Dr. Allen said it starts with prayer and invocation. From there, the soil is collected into placed into glass jars in memory of those lost to racial terror. She said the soil represents the victims’ blood. But also, new beginnings.
“The soil represents growth and an opportunity for new life to still spring from that which has once been harmed,” Allen said. “If we are serious about our healing, we can’t ignore it. We can sweep it under a rug, we have to confront it and make sure that their lives are not lost in vain.”
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The park where the historical marker will be unveiled will also be renamed “Kings Road Memorial Park.”
For Councilwoman Pittman, the most important promise is to never forget the three people who died that day.
“There will be a day that we will be able to shine a light on those families that’s deserving as well as those survivors,” Pittman said. “I hope we don’t ever have to go through anything like this again.”
The public is encouraged to attend Sunday’s memorial. It’s being held at Kings Road and Almeda Street. It starts at 3 p.m.
