Authorities report that a mass shooting erupted following a gathering of over 15 individuals, who came together for what appears to be a fight over a romantic entanglement, according to Jacksonville police.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Wednesday evening, four people, among them a teenage girl, were wounded in a shooting incident in the Magnolia Gardens neighborhood, as confirmed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
During a press conference, Lieutenant Frederick Dash from JSO’s Robbery and Violent Crimes Unit stated that officers responded to the scene on Begonia Road around 6 p.m. They found four individuals who had been shot: women aged 47, 22, and 20, along with a 17-year-old girl, each suffering at least one gunshot wound.
A representative from Jacksonville Fire and Rescue noted that one of the women was initially in critical condition. However, by Wednesday night, the Sheriff’s Office reported that all four victims were stable and expected to recover.
The investigation revealed that a sizable group, consisting of “at least” 15 people, had gathered on the street due to a conflict over a romantic relationship involving some of the parties.
Authorities are currently seeking three men for questioning. Lieutenant Dash described them as Black males, dressed in dark clothing and wearing surgical masks, who reportedly fled the scene in a silver SUV shortly after the gunfire broke out.
The exact motivation for the shooting, nor the number of shooters, was not immediately known. Lt. Dash said it is not believed to have been gang-related.
Anyone with additional information on the shooting or any suspects is asked to contact JSO directly at 904-630-0500 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
