JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Residents are expressing concern after a shooting outside a Jacksonville Beach restaurant Sunday night, the second shooting this year near the same location.
Jacksonville Beach police said a man was shot outside Charley’s Cheesesteak during what police described as a disturbance. One person was hospitalized, and one person was detained, police said. No arrests had been made at the time of reporting.
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Police responded to the shooting around 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Details about what led to the shooting had not been released, and the investigation was ongoing.
Lisa Thomasma, who lives next door to the restaurant, said she heard people fighting before the shooting.
“It was about 6 o’clock. I heard like a bunch of people fighting; there was a young girl that was screaming and a dog that was squealing,” Thomasma said.
Thomasma said she went outside shortly afterward.
“So I ran out of my house about 6:25-ish, and there was one gunshot, and the cops were here really fast,” she said.
Thomasma said she feels crime is increasing in Jacksonville Beach.
“Yeah, it’s been very unsafe over here. We had a shooting nearby the restaurant, and we had this one. It’s just really close to my home,” she said.
She was referring to a teen takeover shooting that happened less than a block from Charley’s Cheesesteak seven months earlier. At least five teenagers were injured in that shooting.
Another resident, Jai Christian, said the lack of an arrest was concerning.
“To know that someone is still out here on the loose, armed at that, and if it happened once, who’s to say it won’t happen again?” Christian said.
Thomasma said she plans to leave the area when her lease ends later this year.
“I feel violated. I’m definitely looking to move. My lease is up at the end of the year, so I’m definitely looking elsewhere. I’m not going to stay around this area. I don’t feel safe,” she said.
