Blood donation centers open in Jacksonville

OneBlood donation sites set up in Jacksonville area

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After the mass shooting in Orlando, many people in the Jacksonville area waited in line Sunday to donate blood. 

A gunman opened fire at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, early Sunday, killing 50 people and wounding 53 more before he was killed in a shootout with SWAT team members. A law enforcement official said the gunman made a 911 call from the club, professing allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

It's the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. 

Jessica Littlejohn donated blood Sunday. She told News4Jax she's just doing what she can to help.

"If they need it, I'm willing to help," Littlejohn said. "I do know, that as an AB donor, it's universal and can be used for everybody else."

Littlejohn said she was inspired by the long line of people waiting behind her to donate.

"It gives me hope that the world isn't as dark as it is. And people are willing to come together and do great things like this," Littlejohn said. "There was a bunch of people (who) came by and dropped off food. Somebody ordered a bunch of pizzas for everybody."

She said that unexpected surprise has been a relief because she and others have waited in line for hours. But, she said that just shows even more of the beautiful, kind side of human nature, even in tragedy.

"It tells me that they're not going to ever win because we're just always going to come back together," Littlejohn said.

To find donation sites in the Jacksonville area, visit oneblood.org