JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – People living in the Royal Terrace neighborhood said Thursday they are scared after two 16-year-olds were hospitalized with gunshot wounds on Christmas Day.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. on Avenue B and Brooklyn in Northwest Jacksonville.
A long-time resident in the neighboorhood said she heard the gunshots.
“You can hear them, and they are right around here in this neighborhood,” said the resident who asked not to be identified. “I mean they sound like boom, boom. Zoom, zoom. Ta-ta, ta-ta, ta-ta; like machine guns. They got these things from the war.”
Officers located one teenager with gunshot wounds at the scene who was treated and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police later discovered a second 16-year-old had walked to the hospital, also with gunshot wounds.
Both teens have non-life-threatening injuries.
Officers believe the incidents are connected. The Sheriff’s Office says it’s in the beginning stages of this investigation.
“I thought it was someone I knew," the resident. “I said ‘I hope to God it is not one of these children. The ones that’s walking around here all day every day.’”
The resident had a message for local leaders.
“I would like for whomever who can do anything about this, to come out in the neighborhood and show up more often. Be here in this neighborhood and let us know they are here for us,” the resident said. “That we don’t have to fear where we live, if the children are coming out to play. Some of these young guys know it takes the police 10-15 minutes to get here so I can do what I want to do.”
Anyone with information that can help was asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or email jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org. An anonymous tip can be made to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-845-TIPS.