Idea of curfew floated after teen killed in shooting near The Jacksonville Landing

A curfew for young people left unaccompanied in downtown Jacksonville could be on the table after gunfire Monday afternoon outside The Jacksonville Landing killed a 16-year-old and injured a 13-year-old.

Action News Jax’s Russell Colburn spoke with Toney Sleiman, the owner of the shopping, dining and entertainment complex, who is already calling for it.

One day after the shooting, the Landing was back open for business, but with boards covering the shattered glass from the shooting. Sleiman said he supports a curfew on minors moving forward.

“I'm sick about it. You can't let minors roam downtown in big groups. We have to curfew minors,” Sleiman said.

“I initially thought it was firecrackers because you heard 5-10 pops,” said Dana Adkins, who just opened Public Coffee House at the Landing.

Adkins agrees with Sleiman. He just opened his business and has already seen two shootings involving teenagers: this one, and the one at the Art Walk in the last two weeks.

“My hope is that if you're not buying, you're not participating at a restaurant, they're going to start saying you don't have any purpose here, we need you to leave,” Adkins said.

City Councilman Matt Schellenberg doesn't support a curfew, saying it's up to parents to know where their kids are and what they're doing. He said the burden shouldn't be on the city.

“A curfew, it affects everybody, and if you're trying to build downtown to make it a lively area that young people, old people, anybody can come downtown and enjoy the beauty of the St. Johns River, setting a curfew does not send a message that the downtown wants to send,” Schellenberg said.

Legally, Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson said the city could impose a curfew.

“I think the city could do it. It probably should do it,” Carson said.

Cox Media Group