Four people, including the shooter, were fatally wounded in a shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, that authorities are calling a racially motivated crime.
The event took place on Saturday afternoon at the intersection of Kings Road and Canal Street. Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters reported that a man who has not yet been named, armed with an AR-style rifle, a handgun and wearing a tactical vest, began the violence shortly after 1 a.m. afternoon at the Dollar General store.
Responding to the situation, a SWAT team surrounded the store, addressing a possible confrontation scenario with the armed assailant who had barricaded himself inside.
Three victims, identified as two men and one woman, all of African-American descent, lost their lives in the incident. The shooter then killed himself, Waters revealed.
Sheriff Waters emphasized the racial nature of the act, revealing that the shooter harbored intense racial animosity, as evidenced by “various manifestos” later found. These writings describe his “disgusting ideology of hate.” A text message to his father prompted his computer to be checked, prompting the father to alert the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. However, the violence had already begun.
Historical data highlighted the shooter’s Clay County residence and a domestic incident in 2016. In 2017, he was evaluated under Florida’s Baker Act, serving people in need of emerging mental health interventions.
Hate symbols, such as swastikas, were discovered on the firearms used.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis condemned the act, saying it was undeniably racially motivated. He extended condolences to the affected families and offered support to Jacksonville law enforcement.
After President Biden’s briefing on the event, the White House shared its concerns. The FBI’s Jacksonville field office, along with Special Agent Sherri Onks, indicated their involvement in the investigation. Onks said the Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation, treating the episode as a hate crime.
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