JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man in his early 20s is expected to recover after he was shot Sunday evening at the Valencia Way Apartments, a Westside complex with a years-long history of violent crime.
Detectives are still working to identify the shooter, who was described as wearing all black clothing with a red face covering. The race and gender of the shooter remain unclear, although investigators are reviewing surveillance videofrom the complex.
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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said officers were called to the complex on LaBelle Street around 6:17 p.m. for reports of multiple gunshots.
When they arrived, they found the young man with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. Police said he ran to a nearby apartment for help and called 911.
He was taken by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue to a hospital and was listed in stable condition, according to police.
JSO said investigators recovered nine 9 mm shell casings. Detectives said they were working to determine a motive and identify a suspect.
Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
History of violence
News4JAX records show the complex, under multiple names and varying ownership, has been the site of multiple shootings in recent years, including deadly violence in 2021, 2023, and 2025.
The pattern of crime prompted the city to intervene.
In January 2024, the property’s owners appeared before the city’s Public Nuisance Abatement Board following complaints and JSO crime data showing repeated incidents at the complex. As part of the board’s action, the owners were required to:
- Install security cameras
- Provide Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office access to camera footage when a crime occurs
- Release tenant information to law enforcement
- Undergo inspections from JSO, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department, and the city’s Building Inspection Division
One condition the owners did not agree to was a proposal for 24/7 on-site police presence.
City Council member Tyrona Clark-Murray, who has been outspoken about safety concerns at the complex, said in 2024 that some residents were allowing people involved in criminal activity to stay at the property, creating risks for families who lived there.
“The problem is we have tenants who allow criminals to stay with them, sometimes even temporarily, without thinking about the consequences for their families and children,” Clark-Murray said. “We have to stop allowing bad actors to continue to have a place to act badly.”
News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee has reached out to Clark-Murray again for comment after Sunday’s shooting.