Jacksonville Dollar General shooting: Company to give $2.5M to community, store to be remodeled

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In the wake of a racially-motivated shooting that took the lives of three Black people on Saturday at its store in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood, Dollar General is announcing financial support for the community and victims’ families.

52-year-old Angela Michelle Carr, 19-year-old Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr, 29-year-old Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion lost their lives in the shooting.

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The company said in a news release Friday that, ”In addition to the ongoing counseling resources and the financial support provided and available directly to the victims’ families, Dollar General pledges a total of more than $2.5 million to efforts and organizations focused on healing and hope for Jacksonville. The Company also is working towards extending counseling services to the broader community.”

Here’s how the company said that $2.5 million donation will be distributed:

• $500,000 will go toward the First Coast Relief Fund “which will be used to support the Jacksonville community in both the near and long-term as it works to recover from this tragedy.”
• $1 million “will go to support nonprofit and community organizations and will be informed by conversations with the local community.”
• DG is also pledging “a matching donation of up to $1 million to its Employee Assistance Foundation, which provides assistance to members of the Dollar General family in specified times of need.”

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The New Town store on Kings Road will also be remodeled as the company said it recognizes the role it plays in providing necessities to the area. It will reopen in late September or early October

Dollar General said it is also donating $50,000 to local area food banks to help address any food insecurity issues.

“The entire DG family continues to mourn the senseless, hate-driven loss of life that took place last weekend,” Jeff Owen, Dollar General’s CEO, said in the news release. “Our focus continues to be on supporting the victims’ families, our employees, and their loved ones, alongside how we can best support and stand with the greater Jacksonville community. The actions we are taking are in an effort to begin to heal together.”

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