JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police and crowds gathered at the Kings Trail apartment complex Monday afternoon as police investigated what they initially said was an suspicious death there.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office homicide detectives were investigating what was initially called an undetermined death at the Kings Trail apartments on Toledo Road, not far from Wolfson High School. Hours later, they wouldn't confirm whether a body was ever found.
According to the police report obtained by News4Jax on Tuesday, detectives said someone did die and foul play is suspected.
Officers said they were doing a neighborhood canvas around 3:30 p.m. Monday when they discovered a "suspicious situation" at one of the apartments.
The details of what was inside that apartment still aren't clear.
Video shot within an hour of JSO's initial reports show a handcuffed man being put in the back of a police cruiser at the scene.
At a briefing with JSO shortly after, the sergeant wouldn't elaborate on who the person was or what his connection may be to the case.
Crimes committed within a half-mile of the complex in the last 90 days:
- One murder on Aug. 21 of a teenager named Anthony Byirt. There have still been no arrests in that case.
- Two aggravated assaults
- 13 simple assaults
- One carjacking
Officials said several burglary reports were also made.
A sergeant with JSO told News4Jax during the briefing that the initial investigation was a sort of neighborhood canvass, leading to a discovery at the apartment.
"As part of that investigation, they contacted an individual at an apartment there," Sgt. Robert John said. "The circumstances at that apartment were found to be suspicious, so detectives made the decision to back out and secure the location and we're proceeding at this time to process that scene."
News4Jax spoke with our crime and safety analyst, Gil Smith, about why not much information is being released.
He said investigators could be waiting to release a lot of the details for a number of reasons -- possibly to protect the integrity of the investigation.