Neighbor remembers father of 2 killed in New Town shooting

JSO continues to investigate after Anthony Whitley shot, killed in car near EWC

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 37-year-old father of two children who was killed in a shooting in the city's New Town area Sunday night will be remembered by his neighbor as a very nice person. 

Anthony Carl Whitley's neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous, told News4Jax Wednesday that his little girl would play with Whitley's kids and they would talk outside in the front yard often. He said he was saddened to hear what happened to his neighbor and hopes police find the person responsible.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the shooting that killed Whitley and injured another as they sat in a car near Edward Waters College. 

Police said the shooting happened at Dot Street and Grunthal Street around 11:10 p.m. Sunday. Officers responded to 911 calls about shots fired and moments later, Edward Waters College security called JSO after finding a car smashed into a fence at 4th and Grunthal streets with a man dead inside.

RELATED: 1 killed, 1 hurt in New Town shooting

Whitley lived about 10 miles away, in North Jacksonville. 

"I only heard the shots. I thought about it. I thought it was fireworks because of the holiday. Then I said, 'No.' The dog started running so I said, 'No, that's not fireworks,'" said Hylton Selby, who lives across the the street from the site of the shooting. 

Selby said she couldn't see anything from her window, but she did hear a woman's voice shortly after that sounded like it was coming from the nearby park -- an area she said fills up with random people nightly. 

"Time varies, anywhere between 9 to 12, or something like that, because I'm up. Like I said, from the back, I can't see but I can hear," Selby said. "Just conversations, nothing that you can make out but you know someone is there."

Whitley died at the scene and a passenger shot inside the car was taken to UF Health Jacksonville, police said.

Investigators hope to get information from the second victim and they'll also look at nearby security cameras. 

"Hopefully, through the surveillance video, they'll be able to get a description of the person, if not at least the car and get a good vehicle description. And that would possibly lead them to who the suspects are," said Gil Smith, News4Jax crime and safety analyst. 

Selby said police need to get the shooter off the streets.

"The shootings, the killings, if you're not trying to protect your life, don't be trying to take someone else's. Everybody's life is important and valued. Somebody loves somebody wherever they are and you don't have no right to take anybody's life like that," Selby said. 

Due to the recent crime in the area, including an attempted robbery that happened just down the street early Wednesday, Smith said neighbors need to keep an eye out for suspicious cars and people and call police if something doesn't seem right. 

RELATED: Armed teen tries to rob Edward Waters College student, police say

Anyone with information on the New Town shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-866-845-TIPS.