Sheriff confirms 3 fatalities in racially-driven shooting at Dollar General store in Jacksonville

Three people were killed in a racially motivated shooting at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida. The suspect, described as a White man in his early 20s, entered the store and opened fire, targeting Black people. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters confirmed that all the victims were Black. The suspect died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The victims, two males and a female, have not been identified yet.

The suspect was heavily armed, wearing a tactical vest and mask, and carrying a Glock and an AR-15-style rifle. Both guns had swastikas on them. During a news conference, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan condemned the shooting as a “hate-filled crime.” The suspect, who lived with his parents in Clay County, had written several manifestos expressing his ideology of hate towards Black people. He had also sent one manifesto to his parents, another to the media, and a third to “federal agents.” The shooter’s family contacted the Clay County Sheriff’s Office after he told his father to check his computer, but by then, the shooting had already taken place.

The gunman’s journals revealed his deep-seated racial hatred towards Black people, and he explicitly stated that the shooting was racially motivated. Authorities believe the shooter acted alone and was not part of any larger group. It was revealed that he had a prior domestic incident in 2016, but no arrest was made. In 2017, he was involuntarily committed under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows law enforcement officers and certain medical personnel to institutionalize individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others for up to 72 hours.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, were present at the scene to investigate the incident. The FBI will treat this shooting as a hate crime, according to Sherri Onks, special agent in charge of the FBI Jacksonville Field Office. The circumstances leading up to the shooting are still unclear, although the suspect had barricaded himself inside the store after the killings.

Meanwhile, Edwards Waters University reported that all students were kept in their residence halls during the incident. The university confirmed that the shooting did not involve any faculty, staff, or students on campus. Dollar General expressed its condolences and stated that supporting their employees affected by the tragedy is their top priority. Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting, and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas assured that his agency is closely monitoring the situation.

The shooting took place while thousands of people gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. Reverend Al Sharpton, who spoke at the event, expressed his dismay that the shooting occurred while Floridians were on their way to the march against hate.

This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of racially motivated violence in the United States. It highlights the urgent need for measures to address hate crimes and ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals, regardless of their race or ethnicity.

Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-08-27 03:30:00