JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dec. 16 UPDATE: The State has pulled the license for the Gold Rush Inn on Tuesday night, according to Jacksonville’s Deputy General Counsel Jason Teal. Action News Jax reported when Councilman Reggie Gaffney said he asked Gov. Ron DeSantis for help shutting down the inn after two shootings in the area in three weeks. Read more here.
Original Story from Dec. 14:
Two shootings in three weeks. Both on Harts Road.
Both incidents have neighbors and community leaders calling for the Gold Rush Inn and the River City Inn to be shut down.
They believe the shootings and the crime stem from those establishments.
Action News Jax’s Courtney Cole spoke to an area pastor and the councilman of the district, who said neighbors deserve action that can lead to change — now.
“I went home disturbed. I woke up at 4 o’clock this morning. I was praying and talking to the Lord,” said Pastor Michael Jackson, of Springhill Missionary Baptist Church.
Jackson said he’s frustrated with all of the crime that happens at or near the Gold Rush and River City inns.
“I live in this community — right on Harts Road. I pastor in this community about 150 yards from where we are now,” Jackson told Cole.
With a church service being held Tuesday night, he said some of his parishioners are concerned for their safety.
“They are concerned about whether or not they’re going to get hit by a stray bullet,” said Jackson.
The latest shooting happened Sunday night.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office heard gunshots in the area of the Gold Rush Inn at 8:54 p.m.
They found a man with a gunshot wound.
At last check, the man was undergoing surgery at the hospital for life-threatening injuries.
JSO reported the suspect, also a man, is still on the run, but they said there’s no threat to the public.
Cole reached out to JSO today for an update on the victim’s condition and for updates on the suspect, but she’s still waiting to hear back.
This is the second time in three weeks that Councilman Reggie Gaffney has called for the inns to be shut down. He told Cole he will come out here as many times as it takes for that to happen.
He also said he’s now calling on the state for help.
“My fear is if I don’t accomplish something in the next week or two, we will be right back here — probably before Christmas,” said Gaffney.
Gaffney said he gets calls about four times a week from people who live in the area about police presence at the Gold Rush Inn.
“I have reached out to the sheriff’s apartment this morning. He hasn’t called me back yet. I’ve reached out to the mayor. I’m even writing a letter today to the governor,” said Councilman Gaffney.
The District 7 councilman said he’s getting the Department of Business and Professional Regulation involved to shut down the inns.
“Everyone keeps talking about it’s a process. In government, the process could take four weeks; it could take four months. I don’t think I have that much time to save another life,” said Gaffney.
Related Stories:
[ Man shot outside of Gold Rush Inn on Jacksonville’s Northside ]
[ Jacksonville City councilmember Reggie Gaffney calls for two northside hotels to be shut down ]