PHOTO GALLERY: These are the victims of the Town Center Parkway shooting
Three people are dead and one is in critical condition after a late-night drive-by shooting near the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville.
JSO UPDATE: Police have identified the victims. Detectives have determined that the victims were targeted based on an ongoing dispute between two groups.
The three deceased victims have been identified as the following:
Trevon Bullard, black male, 18 years old, Orange Park
Royale D'Von Smith Jr., black male, 18 years old, Jacksonville
Jercoby Da'Shad Groover, black male, 19 years old, Orange Park
Here's 8 things we know about the shooting:
1. University of North Florida officials had to send an emergency alert to its students after the 10:52 p.m. shooting.
The shooting happened less than 1,000 feet from the school and within eyesight of the massive school's entrance.
“It could have been any one of us, those are the kind of things that go through your mind,” one parent said.
Student Michelle Powell told Action News Jax, “It’s kind of scary that it would happen so close … There’s a hospital there too, so close to students and patients.”
UNF police have been in touch with JSO about the incident, which they believe is no threat to the campus community.
2. The hospital next to the shooting scene was placed on lockdown.
Baptist Emergency at Town Center, located next to the Gate station at Town Center Parkway and I-295, was locked down after the shooting.
JSO said on Wednesday afternoon that "multiple vehicles" were near the scene at the time of the shooting.
"We need those witnesses to contact police," JSO said on Twitter. "This shooting was NOT a random act of violence. It appears to be an isolated incident restricted to the parties involved."
3. The victims apparently ate at the nearby Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse right before the shooting.
One of the victims posted a video to social media that appears to be inside Wasabi shortly before the shooting.
4. The victims were in a silver Chevy sedan. It was in the middle of Town Center Parkway with multiple bullet holes in the door.
The car was in the left turn lane to I-295. The shooting forced JSO to close the on-ramps and off-ramps for hours. About a dozen holes could be seen in the car.
5. The car was occupied by four people. Two of them died at the scene.
The third died at UF Health. A fourth is in critical condition. Crime Stoppers is offering a $3,000 reward for information.
6. Police haven't identified the victims.
Action News Jax was told than a young man named Quan was one of the three killed. A man named Yungeen was the sole survivor.
The four were reportedly celebrating a birthday dinner at Wasabi.
7. Witnesses say at least nine shots were fired.
The shooter (or shooters) sped off after the murders, witnesses said.
8. One of the witnesses got out of his car and immediately started praying for the victims.
Mark Morozov was at a nearby Gate gas station when he witnessed the shooting that left three dead and one in critical condition.
"I asked (JSO) if I could pray for them, and they let me pray from a distance."