JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was seriously wounded in a shooting Saturday morning in the Durkeeville area, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.
Officers were called just after 8:45 a.m. to a shooting on West 12th Street near Myrtle Avenue North.
Police said they found a man with multiple gunshot wounds at a home. The man, who was described by police as being about 40 years old, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.
There's no suspect information at this point in the investigation, police said.
"It’s really scary, you know, and my heart goes out to the family, to the neighborhood," said Beverly McClain, with Families of Slain Children Inc. "It is just crazy."
As of late Saturday morning, six people had been shot, one fatally, in five separate Jacksonville shootings in a span of 24 hours.
One of those shootings was a double shooting late Friday morning in the Durkeeville neighborhood, near Saturday's shooting. Police said two men were shot about 11:30 a.m. Friday in an exchange of gunfire, which prompted a lockdown at nearby Stanton College Preparatory School.
People who live in Durkeeville said crime and violence in the area are out of hand.
"You never know when anything is going to go down. You never know when it’s your time. You don’t even have to be the person that they are targeting at, you can be an innocent bystander," said Cathy Woodard, who has lived in the neighborhood with her three children for six years. "It’s crazy that you can’t walk out your door because of all the violence."
Samuel Ray Hall Jr., who grew up in Durkeeville, said the neighborhood wants change, especially for the younger generation, but it needs help from people who can relate to young people.
"You’ve got to get the people that have been in this neighborhood that these kids can relate to and talk to tell these kids to put this down," Hall said. "Other than that, it will never work. Crime has gotten way worse."
Right now, Jacksonville’s mayor, sheriff and state attorney are moving forward with a plan to bring a program called Cure Violence to the most dangerous neighborhoods. Cure Violence, which began in Chicago, uses ex-cons as so-called “violence interrupters," working to identify those who are most likely to be shooters and shooting victims.
Anyone with information about the shooting Saturday morning is asked to call JSO at 904-630-0500. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).