The Jacksonville community is reeling from a tragic shooting that resulted in the death of a teenager and injured three others. The incident occurred Wednesday night at the Vista Landing Apartments in Jacksonville’s Northside area.

Ron Armstrong was pulling into the apartment complex Wednesday night as the four young people were shot.

“It’s really heartbreaking,” Armstrong said.

An 18-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, while the injured individuals, whose ages range from 16 to 21, survived. Armstrong, who serves as the community liaison for the Vista Landing Apartments, was familiar with those affected by the incident.

“We interacted with three of the victims that day. We hugged one of them, and everything seemed fine. Then, just a couple of hours later, chaos erupted,” Armstrong recounted.

Investigators with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office are still trying figure out what led up to the gun shots.

The news of the shooting and the ages of the people involved were shocking for AJ Jordan. He works with the organization Men Against Destruction, Defending Against Drugs and Social Disorder, or M.A.D D.A.D.S. 

“It’s a pretty rough morning for M.A.D. D.A.D.S in our city, and especially for the families,” Jordan said.

Jordan has dedicated his time to trying to curb violence in Jacksonville, especially among young people and teenagers. He said this shooting is a reminder for parents to talk with their kids.

“They should have been on the basketball court or at a baseball game, enjoying the summertime. Now one is dead, three others in the hospital, so it’s sad. We have to just figure out how to handle our differences in a more amicable way,” Jordan said.

Armstrong echoed that sentiment. He said they provide programs for families who live there to try to stop violence, but he is calling for more help to make sure something like this does not happen again.

“We’re for JSO. We appreciate their service and what they are doing for our community, but just like any other time, this is the second murder that we’ve seen in under six months out here and we’re just asking for more help,” Armstrong said.