PALATKA, Fla. – The North Palatka community is sick of the increase in violence after two men in their early-20s were injured in a Wednesday late-night shooting.
The shooting happened at the intersection of Washington Street and 17th Street around 11 p.m. Neighbors said the gun exchange sounded like a war zone.
The Palatka Police Department said a 21-year-old and a 22-year-old man were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One man was grazed in the head and the other was shot in the chest.
They were taken to the hospital.
Both men told police they didn’t know who shot them or why they were targeted.
It’s unclear what led up to the shooting.
Two mothers said they were inside their homes with their children with the gunfire erupted.
“I told my son to get down and stay down,” one woman said.
Another woman said at least 15 to 25 rounds were shot between different calibers of guns.
One woman said she hid in the hallway with her children and then moved to the bathroom because the gunshots sounded close.
Neighbors said there’s been an uptick in gun violence in the community and worry about the children who live in the area.
“It’s sad. You can’t let your kids out. You can’t let your dog out. It’s not trustworthy out here anymore,” a woman said.
Neighbors also said there is little police presence in the neighborhood despite a posted sign about a police substation in the area. They expressed frustration with how police are handling the growing amount of gun violence.
“I would like to see police doing something. They’re here. They know who these people are. They know what they’re doing,” one woman said.
No suspect has been identified in the shooting.