JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 14-year-old boy who was shot six times as he walked home remained in an area hospital in critical but stable condition on Thursday. His mother said the motive for her son's shooting was robbery.
Officers were called to the 5700 block of Stewart Avenue on Wednesday night and found the teen wounded.
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The victim's mother, Kristy Deal, told Channel 4 her son was shot and robbed of his gold teeth before he collapsed in a ditch.
"My son was laying in that ditch about to die last night, and you have no heart," Deal said, sending a message to whomever shot her son.
Deal said she broke her arm trying to get to her son after he was shot. She said she held him tightly, making sure he did not die.
"You shot him in the chest, point-blank in the belly, everywhere. My son can't even talk right now. I hope you're caught. I hope you're caught," Deal said.
Deal said her son was coming home from a friend's house when he was shot. She said he was able to drag himself in front of his house, where she found him bleeding.
"When he collapsed in the ditch, he was saying these guys were trying to rob him and his gold teeth were gone," Deal said.
Shortly after the shooting, police had a lead but it didn't take them far. Police said they picked up a person seen running from the scene. He was taken downtown to be questioned and was later released.
"We did speak to somebody last night who we felt may have been involved, but no arrests have been made," said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Lt. Pat Ivey.
Deal said her son would be OK but that she worries about what will happen when he comes home.
"I'm very scared because there was a meaning for this," Deal said.
Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call Crimestoppers at 866-845-TIPS.