‘Isolated, hateful, madman:’ Jacksonville sheriff releases manifesto of Dollar General gunman

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters released to the public on Friday the manifesto of the man who shot and killed three people in a racially-motivated shooting at a Dollar General in New Town in August.

On Aug. 26, Ryan Palmeter, 21, entered the store wearing tactical gear, holding an AR-15-styled rifle. He then shot at several customers, killing two people inside the store and one outside. The victims were later identified as Angela Carr, Jerrald Gallion, and Anolt “AJ” Laguerre.

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Last week, Action News Jax told you when the Dollar General reopened after being closed for five months. The store now has wider aisles and even includes fresher food, like produce, for community members who rely on groceries from the store. Some members of the community told us the reopening is too soon.

Waters said the release of the manifesto is part of his “commitment to transparency” now that the investigation has ended. For those who wish to read the full document, JSO has posted it on its website.

Here is Waters’ full statement about the release of the manifesto:

“Today, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office publicly releases the manifesto of the murderer who senselessly took the lives of three members of our community last summer. On the day that this tragedy occurred, I promised the public that our agency would release this manifesto when doing so would not compromise the integrity of the investigation. Now that this investigation is complete, the manifesto’s release poses no potential investigative hindrance. Transparency is at the heart of this administration’s core values. By releasing this manifesto, we remain consistent with our commitment to transparency. Members of the public deserve to determine, firsthand, that this manifesto is filled with the rantings of an isolated, hateful, madman, whose disgusting ideology is wholly inconsistent with the belief structure of the Jacksonville community. As our city heals from this tragedy, let us continue to stand united.”

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John M. Phillips, the attorney for Carr’s family, released the following statement about the decision to release the document:

“As victim’s rights attorneys, our job is to fight injustice wherever we see it. Some cases are much harder than others. Some are terrifying. Today, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is going to release horrifying information about Ryan Palmeter’s murderous rampage on Dollar General on August 26, 2023.

“As soon as we were hired by the family of Angela Carr, we insisted on this information being provided to us. Under Florida’s public records laws, that means it will be provided to the public. We caution you to not give Palmeter the satisfaction of publishing or distributing his “manifesto.” It’s written to give his racist views attention, but also exposes the hate which exists which we all must fight. It is disgusting and utterly offensive and contains not one redeemable thought. In fact, it’s dangerous.

“There are people and businesses out there who gain from hate, separatism and violence. This deranged letter provides those people and entities fuel. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’

“We will be filing a meritorious and well pledging lawsuit in the coming weeks and continue to fight injustice for the Carr family.

“Please keep them in your prayers. If you want to help with their burdens, you can donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/fvc6uv-angela-michelle-carr.”

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FBI Jacksonville said it cannot comment due to an ongoing federal investigation, but released the following statement:

“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has announced the conclusion of its investigation into the attack at the Dollar General store, however FBI Jacksonville’s parallel federal investigation remains ongoing. As we continue to review the evidence, we remember the innocent lives lost, and remain committed in our pursuit of information that could bring answers for their families and help protect the community from threats in the future.

“The FBI is strong in our belief that everyone should feel safe where they live, and no one should be concerned that they could be targeted in an act of violence based on how they look, where they’re from, or any other part of their identity. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and community partners to protect the rights of each and every American.

“Recently, the FBI published a new Hate Crimes Threat Guide to help victims know how to react to potential threats, and what information to collect to aid law enforcement in an investigation. The guide is available for anyone to download for free on the FBI.gov website: Hate Crime Threat Response Guide — FBI.”

Action News Jax will speak to anti-hate groups about the release of the document and will have the latest updates on CBS47 and FOX30 Action News Jax at 5.

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