“This is a tragic moment. My heart is heavy,” Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman said.
Three people were killed in a “racially motivated” shooting at a Dollar General in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, authorities said.
All three victims were Black, and the suspect detailed a “disgusting ideology of hate” in writings, according to Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters.
“The shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people,” Waters said of the suspect.
The gunman was armed with an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun and outfitted in a tactical vest when he shot three people — two men and a woman — before turning the gun on himself, according to Waters. No other injuries were reported in the shooting.
“This is a dark day in Jacksonville’s history,” Waters said. “As a member of this Jacksonville community, I’m sickened by this cowardly shooter’s personal ideology of hate.”
In this screen grab from a video, law enforcement officials work at the scene of a shooting in Jacksonville, Fla., on Aug. 26, 2023.
WJXX
The suspect has not been officially identified at this time, Waters said.
The incident prompted a heavy police presence on the city’s westside.
Edward Water University issued a public safety alert alerting students to the shooting, which occurred near its campus. Students are being kept in their residence halls until the scene is cleared, the alert said.
“This is a tragic moment. My heart is heavy,” Jacksonville Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman told ABC Jacksonville affiliate WJXX. “The people in this community, they’re hurting — and they have every right to. This makes no sense. I am very, very angry right now.”
“It’s unjust that we can’t even walk on the sidewalk because we’re not safe in any stores,” she continued.
The FBI Jacksonville field office is assisting, according to an FBI Jacksonville spokesperson.
ABC News’ Bernie Lubell contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Source: abc news
