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Drive-By Shootings Plague NW Jacksonville

3 Shot As Bullets Fly In Jax Neighborhood

POSTED: Friday, November 7, 2008

Less than an hour after a man was found shot to death in a Northwest Jacksonville cemetery, police were called to two other shootings in the area on what became a very violent Friday afternoon.

Police said when they arrived at the intersection of West 14th and Canal streets, they found one man dead and a second man suffering from a gunshot wound.

Detectives laid down more than 30 evidence markers in the street marking the number of bullets that littered the area during what officers called an apparent drive-by shooting. They said they believe at least two people opened fire on a crowd that was gathered at the corner.

Investigators said whoever is responsible for the shooting did not care at all who the bullets hit.

"There was no regard for anyone in the neighborhood because they were just shooting. It was like the wild wild West. They were just shooting it up," said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Sgt. Shawn Coarsey.

Pauline Gray told Channel 4 she heard that unmistakable sound of gunfire while picking up her grandson from day care at about 3 p.m. but didn't think anything of it.

"Let me tell you one thing, this is a high-crime area and your hear shooting all the time. It's just one of those things," Gray said. "I don't open my door. I've made myself a prisoner in my own house. I have burglar bars burglar, alarms. I have a gun, but still you know with drive-by shootings like this you never know. You're not safe nowhere."

"It's very frustrating. It's something that we definitely don't need in this community," said Grand Park Community Association President Lloyd Washington.

Map: 3 Shootings In NW Jax He said drive-by shootings are some of the most frightening crimes.

"That must be 30-40 bullet points out there, so that tells me its somebody that doesn't know what they're doing. They just spray the place and hope they get who they're shooting at," Washington said.

Officers were also at the scene of a third shooting in the area at West 33rd Street, where a man in his 20s was hospitalized after being shot in the left leg.

Police said that shooting was also likely a drive-by.

Investigators said they did not have any evidence that any of the day's shootings are related. They said in the West 33rd Street shooting they are looking for a suspect vehicle described as a blue or green SUV with dark tinted windows.

Anyone with information that could help police solve a crime is asked to call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS.

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