CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A man was arrested in connection with a shooting Saturday in the Oakleaf area, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office tweeted about 10:45 p.m. Saturday that deputies and detectives were investigating a shooting on Canopy Oaks Drive off of Oakleaf Village Parkway. Neighbors in the typically quiet Natures Hammock neighborhood said they heard a single gunshot and a heavy law enforcement presence followed.
“Probably about 10:30 or quarter to 11, it kind of startled us. Then the cops came knocking on the door, probably about half an hour later, and asked us if we heard anything,” said neighbor Zachary Leshko. “I mean, we moved from Duval County over here. It’s quiet. This is the first time we’ve had anything like this happen around here."
The Sheriff’s Office said just after 1 p.m. Sunday that investigators arrested a suspect in the shooting. According to Clay County jail records, Kendric Lawrence Johnson, 27, was arrested on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon on Canopy Oaks Drive. News4Jax found he has no prior arrests.
According to an arrest report, Johnson and the other man were having a verbal dispute inside a garage on Canopy Oaks Drive when the dispute turned into gun violence. Deputies said they believe Johnson shot the victim in the upper leg with a rifle. According to the report, the bullet passed through the victim’s leg. The report shows the victim drove himself to a hospital, where he was treated for his injury.
While at the hospital, according to the report, the victim told investigators that Johnson is someone he personally knows. A BOLO (Be on the Lookout) was issued for Johnson’s Mercedes, which was eventually located by deputies. The report states that when deputies searched the car, they found a rifle in the passenger seat. When deputies attempted to question Johnson, he reportedly invoked his 5th Amendment rights.
The location of the shooting is also the address listed on the report as Johnson’s home. The report also states the victim lives inside the home.
As of Monday afternoon, Johnson remained in jail on $100,000 bond, records show.
The investigation remains active and there are no threats to the community, according to the Sheriff’s Office.