JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A young man in his early 20s was killed Saturday evening after Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office officers responded to a report of gunfire in the 700 block of 17th Street.
Just after 5:30 p.m., JSO officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert reporting gunfire in the area. When officers and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department personnel arrived, they found a male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to JSO.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
The department’s Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Unit responded and began collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. Investigators said the suspect or suspects remain unknown.
JSO said the shooting appears to be an isolated incident and that there is no suspected danger to the public.
For residents nearby, the sound of gunfire was an alarming interruption to an otherwise ordinary afternoon.
Steven Coleman, who lives in the neighborhood, said he was outside working on his car when he heard what sounded like two separate bursts of gunfire.
“I heard a round of 20 shots, seemed like, followed by another round of like 20 shots,” Coleman said.
Coleman said he immediately recognized the sound as gunfire rather than fireworks.
“I knew it wasn’t firecrackers,” he said. “I knew it was some type of automatic fire that came from down the street.”
Not long afterward, Coleman said, police and emergency vehicles arrived.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Learning that the victim was in his early 20s made the incident especially difficult for Coleman.
“Now that we find out that a 20-year-old person has lost their life, their dreams, their hopes, family shattered,” he said. “And it’s just senseless.”
Coleman described the neighborhood as a working-class community with many homeowners and said he does not consider it a bad neighborhood.
He said the shooting should serve as a reminder for residents to take responsibility for their actions and to speak up when they see something concerning.
“As a community, you know, we see something, say something,” Coleman said. “Anything else is bullshit.”
Investigators have not publicly identified the victim or announced an arrest. JSO said detectives are continuing to gather evidence and information and are working with the Medical Examiner’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office. The classification of the case remains pending.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Coleman said his thoughts are with the victim’s family as they deal with the loss.
“My prayers are with the family that they find some type of closure, some type of justice,” he said.
If you have any information, contact JSO or Crimestoppers.
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
