Racially Motivated Attack in Jacksonville: Three Killed by Shooter with Swastika-Emblazoned Rifle

Three African Americans, two men, and one woman, were shot dead by a white middle-aged man who, after firing the fatal shots, took his own life. According to authorities, the shooter had previously revealed his abhorrent views towards Black people in several manifestos.

The police reported that the shooter, in his early 20s, stormed the store wearing a tactical vest, carrying a Glock, and an AR-15-style rifle decorated with swastikas.

Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters announced in a press conference that the shooting was "racially motivated." He further emphasized that the shooter had a clear intent – to kill Black individuals.

Background on the Shooter

Before the deadly shooting, the suspected gunman was sighted on the campus of Edward Waters University, a historically black university near the crime scene. University security approached him after he was seen near the school library. Later, he was seen donning tactical gear but managed to elude campus security.

The police added that the shooter was involuntarily institutionalized under the "Baker Act" in 2017. The year before that, he was involved in an incident that ended without arrest.

In the hours leading up to the shooting, the shooter left messages expressing his hatred to both his family and federal law enforcement agencies. The parents alerted the police after finding one of his manifestos.

Reactions

Following the attack, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vehemently condemned the shooter and his racist motives, stressing that such an act of hate is unacceptable.

The FBI has since initiated an investigation into the attack and classifies it as a hate crime.

Mayor Donna Deegan and city council member Ju'Coby Pittman expressed their shock over the incident. The affected store, Dollar General, also released a statement condemning the attack.

Memories of Past Tragedies

Saturday's shooting painfully recalls another deadly attack in Jacksonville that took place precisely five years earlier. During a video game tournament, a shooter killed two people and injured eleven others before turning the gun on himself.

Author: editorial staff
Image Source: Archive

Sonntag, 27 August 2023