Residents shaken after ‘malicious’ shooting at Westside apartment complex

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Some residents at the Exchange at Orange Park Apartments are concerned for their safety after a man was shot and killed there Monday afternoon.

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All the residents Action News Jax spoke with did not want to be identified.

One mother said she recently moved to the complex and is now planning on breaking her lease. She has three kids and says they are her priority.

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Another man told Action News Jax off camera that he is just as concerned.

“This is very surprising, and I’m hoping that it won’t happen again,” he said.

The man has lived at the apartments for about 5 months and says this has never happened before.

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This is a relatively new complex; its website says it was built last year.

JSO said officers responded to this complex after receiving multiple calls about gunfire in the apartment’s parking lot around 3:30 p.m.

Read: Jacksonville police: Man killed in ‘malicious’ shooting at Westside apartment complex

JSO Sgt. Steve Rudlaff called the shooting “malicious.” He said a man in his mid-20s suffered wounds from multiple gunshots from a rifle.

Action News Jax spoke with a woman off-camera who claims to have been the victim’s girlfriend. She said they had been together for about a year, and they just had a baby together in September. She said she has been worried for his safety for a while, but now, she can’t believe he is gone.

This is just the latest in a string of shootings in Jacksonville since Thanksgiving Day. Monday’s shooting marks the 8th shooting in the Jacksonville area since then, leaving JSO searching for answers.

“Obviously there’s a lot of violence, and we’re just asking for the community’s help,” Sgt. Rudlaff said.

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There is no suspect information currently, but JSO detectives canvassed the complex for more than 6 hours trying to find surveillance video to help with the investigation.

Anyone with any information about the shooting is asked to contact JSO at 904-630-0500, or to remain anonymous and potentially be eligible for a reward, call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.

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