Shooting claims life of 16-year-old following fight at large party near Mandarin apartment

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A 16-year-old lost his life after a fight escalated into a shooting at the Coopers Hawk Apartments in the Mandarin area. The incident occurred around 11:00 p.m. last night near the pool area, leaving the community in shock.

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Gunshots were fired near the Coopers Hawk Apartments, resulting in the loss of a young life.

John Hosey, a resident of the apartment complex expressed disbelief, saying, “I pray for the family. I know they’re broken right now; they are facing a new year without a son that they had yesterday, and I can’t imagine how that feels... It’s horrible that a young man lost his life last night over stupidity.”

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) reported that the shooting happened at approximately 11:00 p.m. on Friday and was a result of an alleged fight that erupted following a large party, reportedly hosting between 20 and 200 people.

Security footage from a nearby home reportedly captured the sound of several shots being fired.

Multiple vehicles in the complex suffered damage from bullets, with broken windows and shattered glass.

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AJ Jordan, representing the MAD DADS chapter of Jacksonville, lamented the loss, saying, “Now we have another child, 16 [years old], dead due to gun violence, and it’s just sickening. It’s heartbreaking. It’s just sad for the family.”

This incident marked at least eight deadly shootings since last Friday. According to the JSO database, there have been at least 118 murders in 2023, slightly lower than last year’s total of 142.

JSO reported that at least seven people were detained, most of whom were teenagers. However, they highlighted that there is no identified suspect or person of interest at this time.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward and contact the police.

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