The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports that tensions between a man and a liquor store owner escalated from a heated argument to an exchange of gunfire.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A dispute on Tuesday night at a liquor store in Jacksonville’s Southside took a dangerous turn, leading to gunfire at the store and subsequently at the suspect’s residence, according to authorities.
According to JSO Lt. Katsacos, officers were dispatched to MBC Liquors, located at 7640 Atlantic Blvd., around 11 p.m. following reports of gunshots.
The initial investigation reveals that a 23-year-old man had entered the store intending to make a purchase.
Katsacos explained that the dispute arose over the item’s price during checkout, sparking an argument between the customer and a store employee.
“The confrontation escalated into a brief physical altercation involving the suspect, the store clerk, and the owner,” Katsacos stated. “After a short scuffle, the suspect left the premises.”
Katsacos said the man later returned to the store, pulled out a gun, and started shooting it at the employee he had an argument with. Katsacos said the store owner then fired his gun at the man, striking him multiple times.
According to Katsacos, the man shot the employee.
Afterward, Katsacos said the man drove himself to his home located in the 8000 block of Rigel Road. Once he arrived, Katsacos said a JSO auxiliary officer approached the man and saw that he had been shot. This, after the officer “heard commotion outside.”
Katsacos said the auxiliary officer then went back in his home to get gloves so that he could render aid to the suspect. When he went back outside, Katsacos said a female family member of the suspect was at the suspect’s car, at which time the auxiliary officer and suspect’s family member began giving aid to the suspect.
“At this point, a male exited the residence and fired one round from his own gun toward the direction of the auxiliary officer and the female family member,” Katsacos said. “We’re not sure why he did that, but that’s part of the investigation.”
Katsacos said officers then arrived to the suspect’s home and detained the man who shot at the auxiliary officer and suspect’s family member.
Both the suspect and liquor store employee were taken to a local hospital in stable condition, Katsacos said.
“At this time, we do believe that we have everyone identified who was involved in this incident, and they are being questioned by detectives,” Katsacos said.
Katsacos added that detectives with JSO’s robbery and violent crimes units are actively investigating the incident.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call JSO’s non-emergency number at 904-630-0500. To provide information anonymously, contact First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
