JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In the past week, eight shootings have hit our streets in Jacksonville.
Half of those shootings happened in the Durkeeville area.
4 shootings happened in Durkeeville in less than a week. The latest this morning. Up next what police say they’re doing to try and crack down on violent crime in the area @ActionNewsJax pic.twitter.com/V18hEsmyc8
— Alicia Tarancon (@AliciaANJax) October 16, 2019
Preston Bookman Jr. says he knows Durkeeville well and the crime that goes along with it.
"That's what it is -- the drugs and the gangs. The first thing they want to do is resort to violence with guns and they want to kill you," Bookman said.
There have been four shootings in Durkeeville in less than a week.
On Wednesday morning, a man was shot in the leg on West 17th Street.
He's expected to survive.
TRENDING:
- Joleen Cummings case: Murder suspect Kimberly Kessler is competent, treatment staff says
- Jacksonville star high school basketball player shot on walk home, source says
- Changes are coming to this year's Sea and Sky Air Show at Jax Beach
- Florida Department of Health confirms measles case in Duval County
- Florida toddler dies after being left in hot Jeep outside Tampa home, police say
- LIST: Halloween events in the Jacksonville area
On Sunday a man was shot and killed at a Sunoco gas station on Kings Road.
There were also two shootings on 5th Street near Barnett Street.
One man died and two other people were hurt.
Action News Jax asked Mayor Lenny Curry what's being done in these neighborhoods to cut down on violent crime.
He told us that's why the city is investing in things like ShotSpotter and Cure Violence.
Police are investigating a shooting on W. 17th Street. They tell us a man was shot in the leg and taken to the hospital @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/35sBM6XWEF
— Alicia Tarancon (@AliciaANJax) October 16, 2019
"I know that JSO and the sheriff, you know, will order patrol times based on hot spots, if you will, and I know that we are using Cure Violence as a pilot in a few parts in town and will be examining the expansion of that pilot," Curry said.
JSO has also been hiring more police officers to keep people safer, but Ben Frazier with the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville said that's not enough in neighborhoods like Durkeeville.
"Let's start providing jobs. We got to spend money. If we can spend it downtown for parking lots and bridges, then we need to begin to spend it on the people who are catching hell in 32209 and 32206," Frazier said.
There have been 100 homicidesin Jacksonville this year alone, according to JSO's transparency page.
Police say they need neighbors to speak up so families can get closure.
STAY UPDATED: Download the Action News Jax app for live updates on breaking stories
Cox Media Group
