Gun violence is down in Jacksonville, the Sheriff credits proactive policing

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Crime is down in Jacksonville but three overnight shootings from Wednesday into Thursday have some neighbors concerned. Public safety is a priority for those who spoke with Action News Jax and they want to see more patrol units.

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Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a town hall on Wednesday that moving forward, officers will be more evened out in areas across the city because of the re-drawn zones.

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Some neighbors heard the overnight shots from Wednesday into Thursday.

“It was about 20 shots,” one man said.

A woman is in critical condition after she was shot on Claudia Spencer Street. Police say a suspect shot into the home and left the area. The man who didn’t want to be identified heard the gunfire and said he feared for his life.

“I thought one of those bullets were going to come through my window because my bed right by the window,” he said.

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Another shooting on Lane Avenue South left one man dead and another man fighting for his life.

Then on Lem Turner Road, police say a man and woman were driving when someone drove up next to them, shot into the car and sped off.

“There’s so much death so many people getting killed now,” the man said.

Overall, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters says gun violence is down. Action News Jax numbers show that by the time this story published, there have been 160 shootings this year, compared to 203 on this day one year ago.

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Sheriff Waters says proactive policing is helping lower those numbers.

“Proactive policing is not illegal, it’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to be checking our neighborhoods, we’re supposed to be stopping the people that we believe, as long the stop is legal, that we believe are up to criminal activity,” he said. “How does a drive-by happen? The name itself indicated how a drive-by happens, someone gets into a car, drive by and do shootings, how do they transport those guns? They transport those guns in cars. How are drugs transported? In cars. So, we stop cars and we contact people.”

—  Sheriff T.K. Waters

The neighbor we spoke with says his area near Claudia Spencer Street is usually quiet but still wants to see more police.

“It will be more secure and feel more safer,” he said.

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The Sheriff said they also work with crime intelligence units and say they know who a lot of shooters are in the city and focused on them. In the three shootings mentioned, there’s no suspect information. If you have any information you’re asked to call police.

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