Basketball game ends in hail of gunfire

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – What started as a game of basketball amongst a group of teenagers ended in a hail of gunfire on Jacksonville's Westside. A 16 year old was shot in the leg, he is expected to be OK and two other teens are in custody in connection with the shooting. 

According to police, a group of young men were playing basketball on Neva Street on Jacksonville's Westside when the ball got loose and bounced toward a parked car.

A 16-year-old boy ran over to pick up the ball and got into a verbal argument with two teenagers, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, who were inside the parked Ford Focus.

The teenagers inside the car pulled out guns and opened fire on the 16-year-old and two other 17-year-old boys, hitting the 16-year-old in the leg.

The car took off and circled the block, allowing witnesses to get the plate number and call police, who happened to be nearby.

Police found the car and started chasing the vehicle as the teenagers inside threw their guns out of the window.

Officials said, that police eventually cornered the vehicle in a dead end street and were able to arrest the two teenagers inside who are now facing aggravated assault and aggravated battery charges.  

"We located the guns and we located the shell casings and we got both suspects in custody and we're not looking for anyone else," Lt. Mike Eason, with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, said. 

Residents in the area, like Christiane Brown, said that it's not the first time something like this has happened and they're fed up.

"You see too much of it. I don't understand why. It seems like any more kids have guns. It's scary to even say anything to any of them because you don't know what's going to happen. You're scared that they're going to, you know, do something to you," Brown said.

Police are continuing to investigate the shooting to see if it may be related to any of the other recent violence, including Thursday's brawl at the Lenox Court Apartments.


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.