‘We’re not going to tolerate it:’ Neighbors react to couple held hostage inside Clay home for days

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Two people are now safe after police said a man called 911 to confess that he had tied them up inside a home for days.

“We’re not going to tolerate it. We’re old, but we’re not stupid,” Green Cove Springs resident Shirley Sly said.

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Sly has lived in Green Cove Springs for 17 years. She said she walks along County Road 315 to go to the grocery store right past the home where Clay County deputies found two people tied up.

The suspect, Aubrey Lumpkin, was the one who called 911 Monday night to confess.

Sly said she’s seen more crime in her neighborhood over the past year.

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“It’s drugs. When an old lady sees a transaction and knows what she’s seeing, just sitting at a stop sign, that’s kind of rough,” Sly said.

Deputies could not confirm the “why” in this crime as of Tuesday.

They are working to learn the nature of the relationship between Lumpkin and the victims.

Sheriff Michelle Cook said the two were taken to a hospital to be assessed and treated.

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“They’re obviously very traumatized but they’re being as helpful as they can right now,” Sheriff Cook said.

There are still many unknowns in this case.

Cook said they don’t know at this point if Lumpkin took care of the two seniors while they were tied up.

Cook also said Lumpkin is cooperating with police.

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Action News Jax law and safety expert Dale Carson said there are several possibilities as to what really happened.

“One possibility here is that this is an effort by a drugger to take over a place where he knows there to be drugs,” Carson said.

He added that the fact that Lumpkin stayed with the victims is also telling.

“This could have been anything from an account somewhere or a safe that needed to be unlocked. Anything like it,” Carson said.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with information on the suspect or victims to call in.

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