JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville teen is in critical condition after suffering a gunshot wound to her head in an “accidental incident” early Monday morning, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.
JSO said it responded to the 14000 block of Golden Eagle Drive on the Northside in response to a shooting and found the teen with a gunshot wound to her head.
She was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, officials said.
Investigators said the suspect and the teen know each other and the incident “appears to be an accident.”
Neighbors who described this community as quiet and close-knit said they’re surprised this happened.
“My neighbor down the street woke me up and he was ‘like you need to come out here,’ and so we were out here just trying to figure out what’s going on,” a neighbor who did not want to be identified said.
“I was shocked, like I said, nothing like that ever happens in this neighborhood,” he said. “This is a really good neighborhood.”
Though some said it’s usually quiet, another neighbor said there have been multiple incidents at that house in the past.
“We’ve been having multiple calls in regards to that house, like police coming here at least once a week or once every other couple weeks so it’s been nothing new, unfortunately, but it’s a sad situation,” the neighbor said.
Roderick Mills, the owner of Scorched Earth Firearms Training said that parents need to exercise more safety around guns.
“One of the most common mistakes is someone putting their finger on the trigger and pulling it,” Mills said. “And before they even know it, they have squeezed the trigger and that gun actually went off.”
He talked about the one gun safety rule he wish every parent knew that could prevent incidents like this from happening.
“A lot of people feel that, well, we’re going to lock this gun away from this child and we’re not going to let them see it or touch it or anything. Kids are curious by nature,” he said. “If you let them see it, talk to them and say, ‘Hey, look, I don’t mind you holding this gun while I’m here with you, okay?’ That’s perfectly fine. Make sure the gun on safety and it’s unloaded. But let them know that they see a gun, do not touch that gun.”
Neighbors said they’re hoping the teen makes a full recovery.
All parties are cooperating with detectives and JSO said it is an isolated incident.