JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One man was shot early this morning in the leg during a struggle with an intruder at an apartment complex off Atlantic Boulevard. His brother, also a victim of the home-invasion robbery, had an outstanding warrant and was arrested.
Sgt. Bryan Goebel, with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, said three residents told them two men knocked on the door of their unit at the Mathews Crossing Apartment Homes on Century 21 Drive around 1 a.m. According to the report, after the men pushed their way into the apartment, both pulling guns and robbing the victims, Deshawn Hogan, 18, was shot in the leg while trying to grab the gun from one of the robbers.
Hogan was taken to Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The victims said robbers went through the apartment, stealing a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, a fur coat and other clothing, then left. Police had almost no suspect information and no leads on the gunmen.
Crime scene detectives went through the apartment looking for evidence,
During the course of the investigation, police learned one of the victims, 22-year-old Jamal Spratling, had an outstanding warrant on drug charges and was arrested. (Pictured, right, in Jacksonville Sheriff's Office booking photo)
A woman who just moved into Matthews Crossing a month ago and walks her children to school every day was shaken by the crime.
"I'm kind of scared," said the woman, who only gave her name as Ashley. "I have children of my own -- a single mom. It's kind of creepy."
A check of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office crime map shows 196 offenses within a half-mile of the complex over the past six months. Most were simple assaults, thefts and burglaries.
"The actual place has changed its names and done some rehabilitative work in the structure and painting and things like that to try to help, but again, society and those things come back on us no matter what we do," said Farrell Stevens, who lives in the area with his 8-year-old daughter.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.