Accused shooter Patrick McDowell in and out of Veterans Treatment Court the past two years

NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — Former Marine Patrick McDowell was in and out of Five Star Veterans Center for the past two years as part of Veterans Treatment Court.

As part of that program, Five Star employees said he first came to the center in 2020. They said he only stayed for about a month and a half, and then showed back up this past May.

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Employees actually ended up asking him to leave in July because he brought someone they were uncertain of, and Friday morning was the first time they’ve seen him since.

“I was shocked. no question about that,” Five Star Veterans Center CEO Col. Len Loving said.

Employees recalled McDowell as aloof and detached.

“He was in and out. He spent very little time here,” Loving said.

Loving said hearing the news of the shooting is disappointing.

“I was hoping that he was going to find his way back to recovery for the benefit of his family who cares for him big time,” Loving said.

When he was there for those short few months, McDowell formed a friendship with Army veteran Blayne Lannan.

Lannan said the news of the shooting is horrifying.

“It’s the last thing that I ever thought I would hear of Patrick McDowell,” Lannan said.

Lannan said he just congratulated McDowell a month ago on his sobriety. He said he doesn’t know what happened between then and now.

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“I know that Patrick struggled with methamphetamine addiction. I know he struggled with opioid addiction,” Lannan said.

During their time together at Five Star in 2020, Lannan said he noticed something was off.

“As a recovering addict, you can tell when somebody starts using. It’s pretty obvious, and I had noticed that Pat was acting weird and he disappeared,” Lannan said.

Veterans Treatment Court senior mentor David Abramowitz saw McDowell through his treatment in early 2020.

“He went to all treatments at the time I knew him,” Abramowitz said.

He said McDowell was respectful and committed to getting better, but that changed when COVID hit.

“We stopped drug testing because of COVID. We didn’t know where to drug test,” Abramowitz said.

Abramowitz said the two lost contact in March 2020.

“My personal feeling is he went back to drugs,” Abramowitz said.

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However, three months ago, he said was able to get ahold of McDowell. He said his recovery sounded promising, but hearing the news today suggests otherwise.

“Patrick McDowell, who did what he did, allegedly did what he did, is not the Patrick McDowell I knew for two months. It’s a different person,” Abramowitz said.

Those who knew McDowell before, after, or during his treatment all want the same. They want him to turn himself in.

“I hope that he’s in a place, and he can hear this. That he does the right thing; gets help,” Lannan said.

Those we spoke with also expressed their thoughts and prayers with Deputy Moyers and his family as well.

Duval County Veterans Treatment Court.

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