JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A well-known realtor was gunned down this weekend in Northwest Jacksonville, the same neighborhood he dreamed of improving.
A man, who loved ones identified as Derrick Hartley, was shot several times and killed Saturday night in the area of West 35th Street and Moncrief Road following an argument, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
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Monday's gloomy weather was a reflection of the devastating pain hundreds of people were feeling after Hartley's death. News4Jax spoke with two people who said Hartley, a husband and a father of five, made their lives better and his death is a tragic loss for the community.
Will McKenzie said Hartley worked in the real estate industry with him, but was also his friend. McKenzie said he loved Hartley like a brother.
"A businessman was an understatement for who he was," he said. "He was an advocate for all young people. Who he was and what he was to our community -- we took a major loss."
McKenzie said Hartley was known as one of the "good guys" in the community and he did not have enemies.
"I don't think anyone in the community could say anything bad about him as a person. Not in a million years would we have thought this would've happened to him," he said. "It has left us speechless."
As Hartley's family and friends mourn his death, those who knew him from a distance offered condolences on social media.
"Prayers to the family. People, if (you're) not saying anything and you know something, you're part of the problem and not the solution."
"Prayers for the kids and family. God is in control."
Paula Mitchell told News4Jax that Hartley helped her buy a home a year ago.
"He always wanted to do right," Mitchell said. "He was very, very special. I'm going to miss him dearly."
She also shared that Hartley spoke about improving the same neighborhood where he was shot and killed.
"He's, like, 'Hey, I'm going to go out here and I am going to buy these homes and they will be right here off Moncrief,'" Mitchell said. "(That's) where all of his people were at, where we grew up at."
Sadly, Hartley's dream of home ownership for others ended before its time. Despite his tragic death, Hartley's legacy of helping the community lives on.
"You can't take anything with you in life but your name and your legacy and he left that on our community," McKenzie said. "He made a big impact."
According to News4Jax records, Hartley's death was the 41st homicide this year in Jacksonville.
On Monday night, police announced William Broadnax, 40, had been arrested and charged with murder. Investigators said witness interviews led to his arrest in Hartley's shooting death.