Jacksonville Beach shooting: Person shot overnight, police say

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The Jacksonville Beach Police Department says someone was shot near the Jacksonville Beach Pier early Monday morning.

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Police tell Action News Jax that officers were flagged down by the Best Western hotel at approximately 4 a.m.

They found a man who had been shot in the back with what appeared to be a small caliber bullet.

Police say he was taken to the hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Sargent Thomas Crumley told Action News Jax’s Beth Rousseau “They moved him into surgery so rapidly so investigators weren’t able to obtain much information from him prior to him going into surgery.”

Witnesses told Jacksonville Beach police that a man and woman were seen fleeing the area around the time officers found him.

Beachgoer Wendy Livornese wondered “Why would somebody bring a gun to the beach?”

Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen any disturbances near the pier around the time of the shooting to call the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-2701661.

Monday's shooting comes nine days after a man was shot and killed near Casa Marina at Jacksonville Beach.

Police are searching for persons of interest in the death of 23-year-old Leon Bennett.

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Police said he was shot after he got into a fight near the Pier Cantina.

Jacksonville Beach Police said a white four-door vehicle approached Bennett and an unknown occupant of the car shot Bennett on the sidewalk.

Officers are searching for information about the car, which fled after the shooting.

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