JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two women are in the hospital after police said they were shot in their homes.
There is no reason to believe that the crimes are related, but they happened just a few miles apart. Police do not have any suspects in either shooting.
Jacqueline Newkirk was shot Friday morning on West 1st Street in the Paxon part of the Westside. Kharlota Hunter was shot Sunday morning on Cartier Circle in Northwest Jacksonville.
Newkirk told police that two men wearing all black came in and attacked her and then shot her. Sunday, someone opened fire on Hunter's home while she was inside. Both women are recovering Monday at the hospital.
Raymond Newkirk doesn't know why anyone would attack his 57-year-old mother in her Westside home.
"She didn't have any enemies," Raymond Newkirk said. "She's fair. She's breathing, but she is non-responsive right now.
"I'm hoping she pulls through. Every day that goes by I am thankful that she is still breathing."
Jacqueline Newkirk's family said while she was in bed, two men wearing all black beat her, shot her and robbed her after breaking in early Friday morning.
Sunday, six miles away, Hunter, 43, was shot after police said someone sent dozens of rounds into her home from the outside. Hunter was rushed to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. She's now in fair condition. The shooter or shooters, neighbors said, killed her dog out front.
There were at least 50 apparent bullet holes on Hunter's home. They can be seen in the walls and a glass window (pictured above) and on a dog crate. Even the gas grill and front door had bullet holes. Some of the holes are quite large (pictured).
News4Jax crime analyst Gil Smith said solving these types of crimes isn't easy, so detectives need the public's help.
"What can be very helpful is having a very good neighborhood watch program," Smith said. "That way you have eyes and ears in the neighborhood looking out, trying to find things that aren't quite right in the neighborhood, and they're actually searching for suspicious behavior. Then they are able to document that."
According to the police reports, no eyewitnesses have come forward in either shooting. People said they heard gunshots, but no one said they saw anything.
Police urge anyone with information about either of the crimes to either call Jacksonville Sheriff's Office detectives at 630-0500 or to remain anonymous, call CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.