JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Four men were shot and killed in Jacksonville in separate incidents between Saturday morning and the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The deadly violence began about 5:45 a.m. Saturday at a home on Orton Street, south of Lenox Avenue. Officers responding to a 911 call found 26-year-old Mitch McCoy Jr. in front of a home on Orton Street in the Hillcrest neighborhood. He was taken to the hospital where he died, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
McCoy's family said it happened in front of his father's house and the shooting stemmed from a fight over a dog. Police have not announced any information about the gunman or announced an arrest in the case.
Family said McCoy left behind a pregnant wife and had a young daughter.
About 2:30 p.m., 65-year-old Willie Dornes was shot and killed in what homicide detectives said may have been an attempted robbery at or near the Shell gas station on Edgewood Avenue North and Lowell Avenue.
Dornes' family said a group of men bullied him before one of them shot and killed the father of two who frequented the convenience store near his home.
Police said no one was in custody and have not released any suspect information.
About 8:30 p.m. Saturday, police said 30-year-old Larry Odel Williamson was shot and killed as he was leaving the convenience store of another Shell gas station at the intersection of 16th Street and Myrtle Avenue. Police said the gunman approached Williamson as he approached his car and opened fire, then walked away.
At 12:30 a.m. Sunday, 30-year-old Thomas Gordon was found dead in the road near the intersection of West 8th and Tyler streets, police said. Officers responded to the shooting said it was picked up by the city's ShotSpotter surveillance system.
Homicide detectives said police it appeared Gordon was shot and killed. Police had no one in custody and no suspect information.
The police said all four homicides are under active investigation and ask anyone with any information to call the Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500. Callers can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000 by calling Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.
The four shooting deaths within 20 hours bring the number of violent deaths in the first week of 2018 to six.
Crispin Taylor, 35, and Sahara Barkley, 24, were shot and killed in separate incidents on New Year's Day.
Police said Taylor was killed when an argument broke out at the end of a New Year's Eve party. Detectives have not provided details, but the shooter was questioned and released.
Barkley was shot and killed that evening as her car was being stolen at a gas station in Riverside, according to the Sheriff's Office. Tairrah McGraff, 22, turned herself in on a murder warrant four days later.
In recent years, Januarys have been among the deadliest in Jacksonville. Last year, 15 of 146 homicides were in January. There were also 15 homicides in January of 2016, 10 in 2015 and 10 in 2014.