Man charged with shooting teenage girl

Dad speaks out as daughter recovers at UF Health Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police say a 20-year-old is accused of shooting a 14-year-old girl during a confrontation with several people outside a Northwest Jacksonville home Thursday afternoon.

Garianna Hargrove was shot once in the chest about 2:30 p.m. on Shannon Avenue. She was taken to UF Health Jacksonville, but her condition was not reported.

Police arrested Leroy Bostick and charged him with aggravated battery and aggravated assault.

According to the arrest report, Hargrove told officers that Bostick kept pulling a gun from his pocket and threatening people with it, then he shot her.

Police said Dexter Turner confronted Bostick after the shooting and Bostick pointed the gun at Turner's head and pulled the trigger, but it misfired.

Witnesses say Bostick tried to run, but neighbors and bystanders chased him down and held him until police arrived. 

At Bostick's first appearance on the charges Friday afternoon, Bostick was ordered held on $501,509 bond.

News4Jax spoke the 14-year-old girl's father about her condition. Andrew Turner said his daughter barely knew the man that shot her.

"Garianna, she's doing good. She just got a stent in her lungs and they're checking her out. But as far as that, they're checking her and she's doing OK," Turner said.

Turner is in disbelief knowing that he and his wife could have been planning to bury their 14-year-old daughter.

"It could have been worst, but thank god it wasn't nothing worst. It wasn't no accident -- he just went off on his on to shoot people," Turner said.

Even family members of Bostick said they are heartbroken. News4Jax visited Bostick's great-grandmother and when we told her he was accused of shooting a 14-year-old girl, she broke down in tears.

Neighbors said Hargrove is smart and vibrant. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was something her father said young people must be mindful of.

"They need to slow down. They need to do something. I tell you that because there are too many guns," said Turner.

Hargrove is expected to have surgery Saturday.


About the Authors:

Emmy-nominated journalist Kristin Cason joined the News 6 team in June 2016.