PALATKA, Fla. — Two people are dead, and another is in critical condition after a shooting Christmas night in Palatka.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Police were called to the 100 block of North 19th Street at about 9:40 p.m. Wednesday where a large crowd was gathered.,
Officers were clearing the crowd when they heard gunfire nearby. And in front of the Palatka Daily News is where police found three people shot.
Police identified those victims as 21-year-old Dazail Dennis of Crescent City, 23-year-old Tyree Gilyard of Crescent City, and 17-year-old Dorrion Mckinnon of Palatka.
According to police, Gilyard was declared dead on the scene.
Mckinnon died at the hospital and Dennis is in critical condition.
Action News Jax spoke to a man who said he was at that gathering Wednesday night and heard those gunshots.
“It was scary,” said the witness. “I feel sorry for the people you know that lost their life and their family.”
And it is incidents like this that have prompted police to ramp up safety measures.
“We have increased our presence in this immediate area and we have implemented a plan,” said Matt Newcomb, the Assistant Chief of Police for the Palatka Police Department.
Anyone who may have information concerning this crime is asked to contact the Palatka Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-8477.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.