JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investigating a shooting Thursday that left the 25-year-old son of a retired JSO officer dead in front of an Eastside home.
The victim, Kim "Desi" Varner Jr., died before police arrived at the scene. So far, they haven't caught the killer.
The shooting happened Thursday morning on East 11th Street outside Varner's home near Haines Street, which is near Edwards Park and John Love Elementary School.
Police discovered Varner's body about 7:30 a.m., but several neighbors said they heard gunshots much earlier. Some said they heard the shots as early as 5:45 a.m.
Police said Varner was shot multiple times. His car was also riddled with bullets. Detectives are now looking for answers about who fired the shots and why.
"We are conducting searches in the house. We are going to be seizing the vehicle, checking that for any evidence, and talking to neighbors and family members to see if they can give us any information to help solve this murder," JSO Sgt. Jay Farhat said.
Sources told News4Jax that Varner is the son of a retired policeman and that his father was at the scene Thursday morning, comforting other loved ones.
News4Jax found that Varner does have a criminal history. He's been arrested for carrying a concealed firearm, resisting arrest and giving false information to police in a missing person's investigation.
Many neighbors said they are concerned for their safety after the deadly shooting.
"It sounded like about 20 gunshots. It was a lot," said one woman, who asked not to be identified. "It was enough to wake me up."
The woman, who lives nearby, said she heard the gunshots before the sun came up Thursday morning. Not long after, a man banged on her door, asking her family to call 911.
"Somebody knocked on our door first and told us there was a body in the street," she said. "My mother and my boyfriend and me ran outside. My dad, too."
She said the man who knocked on the door was walking by and found a body between a car and a home on East 11th Street.
"My mother got on the phone and called police," the neighbor said. "We surrounded him trying to see if he was alive or not. And he definitely was not."
Neighbors said they are upset about what happened in their community.
"I think we'll need to stand up if we are going to have a safe neighborhood. Stand up against crime," Shurod Roberts said. "That's what I think. And we welcome anybody that wants to join."
Another neighbor said she's had enough and plans to move.
Police are looking for surveillance video in the area that might help solve the case.
They're also asking for the public's help. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-645-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward up to $3,000 for information leading to an arrest.