Less than 24 hours after two Jacksonville moms were shot and killed, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams met with the community to discuss public safety and his plans to keep communities safe.
Police are still trying to track down the suspect who killed two mothers.
Friends and family tell us Annie Miller and Deborah Ziegler were the women shot and killed Wednesday night.
A man, who wanted to remain anonymous in fear of retaliation, said he grew up with Miller and he found out about her death through social media.
“She’s just good people. I really don’t understand. Why her,” he asked.
MORE: Family, community want justice for victims of deadly double shooting on Jacksonville's Westside
He said she leaves behind children and no one in the neighborhood is talking about who was behind this.
“I haven’t heard a name. Not even a nickname, it was rumored that the guys had on masks,” the man said.
Wednesday night, police shined flashlights into a Volkswagen Beetle and put evidence markers on the ground around it.
Tameika Mays said her mother was shot inside her car.
“My mom was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Mays said.
This shooting comes less than two weeks after 7-year-old Heidy Rivas-Villanueva died after being caught in the crossfire of a shooting.
The fifth suspect connected to the case was arrested Wednesday.
“There’s nothing you can say really at that point. We’ve dealt with it internally and could only imagine what the family is going through,” Sheriff Williams said.
Action News Jax spoke one-on-one with Sheriff Williams about the recent violence.
“We are going to continue to have challenges in different parts of the community,” Sheriff Williams said.
He said building relationships in different communities is key.
“We’ve got to stay focused on what we know to be a small percentage of the population that drives a significant portion of the violence in Jacksonville,” Sheriff Williams said.
The sheriff, as well as Mays, are encouraging people to speak up if they know anything about the shootings.
“If you know anything, just call JSO. You don’t have to tell them your name. Just call JSO. Tell them anything you know, anything you heard, ‘cause nobody wants to be in my shoes right now,” Mays said.
Cox Media Group
