JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The parents of a Jacksonville man who was gunned down Tuesday night say their son was the victim of a targeted attack and they’re pleading with the community to come forward with any information they might have that could help police.
The family is offering $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said police were called to East 25th Street on Tuesday night in reference to a shooting. They said a man was taken to a hospital where he died and that two other people in a white vehicle fled the scene.
Family identified the man who died as Vincent Samuels, 29. His mother, Terry Gartrell, said her son was in a car with three other people and that Samuels was the only one shot.
″My son told me he was in fear for his life. A couple of threats had been made,” Gartrell said.
With no one in custody, his parents, siblings and extended family are pleading with the public, to come forward with any information that they might have that could help lead police to an arrest.
“I’m not going to give up trying to locate the person or persons responsible for his death,” Gartrell said.
Samuels’ father, who shares the same name as his son, also made a plea for someone to say something to police.
″I don’t want anybody, whether it be friends or family, to take matters into their own hands, but I want someone who was a witness to come forward,” he said. “This was a cowardly act.”
No arrests had been announced as of Thursday. In addition to the family’s offer, a possible reward of up to $3,000 is offered by Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida for information that leads to an arrest.
″No matter how little the tip may be a nickname, a street name, anything that you may know,” said Samuels’ sister, Kristian Perry. “You never know what information will help.”