JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville's 32209 ZIP code averaged at least two homicides a month in 2018, making it once again the deadliest part of town by far.
With 25 homicides recorded last year, 32209 more than doubled the next closest ZIP code's homicide total. The 32210 ZIP code had 11 homicides, 32246 had 10, 32254 had nine and 32218 had eight.
The 32209 area of Northwest Jacksonville, which includes the Grand Park, Magnolia Gardens and Royal Terrace neighborhoods, has long been considered one of the most dangerous areas of town and has repeatedly had the most homicides in Jacksonville each year.
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Of the 25 homicide victims in that area last year, five were under the age of 18. None of those cases have been solved, according to Jacksonville police records.
Those five juvenile victims were 7-year-old Tashawn Gallon, 14-year-old Darryl Johnson, 17-year-old Corey Donald and two 16-year-olds -- Marquette Clark and Omarion Sparrow.
All 25 homicides in the 32209 area involved gun violence. Seven of the 32209 victims were women, including a transgender woman gunned down between two abandoned houses in June. Police had no suspects in that case.
Police also have no suspects in a double homicide that left two women dead in August. One of those women was 58-year-old Deborah Ziegler, who was killed three blocks from her house.
“All I see is markings and glass shattered in the street, and I’m trying to figure out how she got from the bus stop to this street here,” said Tameika Mays, Ziegler's daughter. “I smile on the outside because I want people to know that I am OK, but I’m not OK.”
Of the 25 cases in 32209, only five resulted in an arrest and a sixth is being considered a justifiable homicide.
Families of victims who were killed in the 32209 area told News4Jax that they believe the street code of silence is what’s leaving most of them without closure this new year.
Mays said she is praying someone will come forward with information in her mother’s murder.
“Somebody told somebody something about that night, but nobody don’t wanna say nothing,” Mays said. “They want to walk around with a closed mouth. I don’t understand but this is the society that we live in.”
One of the cases that did result in an arrest was a triple shooting outside of the Raines High School football stadium in August that left a 19-year-old dead. A 16-year-old is charged in that case. Another 16-year-old is facing a manslaughter charge in the shooting death of a 19-year-old in June.
Anyone with information about any of the unsolved homicides in Jacksonville last year can call the JSO non-emergency line at 904-630-0500 or report tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
2018 homicides mapped by ZIP code
Hover over a ZIP code to see the number of homicides reported in that area in 2018.