JACKSOVNILLE, Fla. — In a reckless display of gunfire, a man in his 20s was shot in the leg on East 1st Street and Franklin, while more than 50 shell casings littered the scene and multiple locations, including a JTA bus, were struck by projectiles in a reported drive-by shooting Saturday evening.
At approximately 5:20 pm, authorities responded to a shooting incident on East 1st Street and Franklin.
Upon arrival, they discovered a man in his 20s who had been shot in the leg. The victim was immediately transported to the hospital, where it was determined that his injuries were non-life-threatening.
During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that more than 50 shell casings were found on the ground at the scene.
Additionally, the projectiles from the gunfire struck three unoccupied cars, two apartments adjacent to the Eastside Garden Apartments, a house, and a JTA (Jacksonville Transportation Authority) bus that was in transit at the time of the shooting.
Fortunately, no additional individuals were injured in this reckless incident.
The JTA bus had a driver and six passengers on board when it was hit by the gunfire. However, there is currently no indication that the bus, house, or apartments were intentional targets. Authorities believe the victims, who were on foot, were specifically targeted by the suspects, who arrived at the scene in a vehicle.
At this time, there is no connection between this incident and the recent Brentwood SWAT operation.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and no suspect or vehicle information is available.
Law enforcement officials are actively working to obtain video security footage from the area to aid in their investigation. Detectives are diligently pursuing leads and gathering evidence to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for this brazen act of violence.
It has been reported that the victim who was shot in the leg was accompanied by another person at the time of the incident. However, authorities have been unable to locate the second individual thus far.
Although the incident reportedly appears to be unrelated to gang activity, no firearm has been recovered at this time. Moreover, it has been determined that there were multiple shooters involved.
The recklessness displayed in this incident is deeply concerning, particularly considering there were children present on a nearby playground when law enforcement arrived. The disregard for public safety is alarming, and the community is urged to remain vigilant.
JSO strongly encourages anyone with information that can assist us with this investigation to please call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at (904) 630-0500 or Crime stoppers at (866) 845 -TIPS. They can also provide information online at JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org.
This is an ongoing investigation and will be updated when details arrive.
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