Woman's message to 19-year-old grandson's killer: 'Turn yourself in'

Ziykye Barnhill shot, killed in his Westside neighborhood

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The grandmother of a young man who was gunned down over the weekend on Jacksonville's Westside said their family knows who killed him

"If you do something that tragic you got to face your consequences," said Angel McLauren, the grandmother of 19-year-old Ziykye Barnhill. "Why are you running? Why are you running? Please just turn yourself in."

Barnhill died in a double shooting late Saturday afternoon near Wilson Boulevard and Firestone Road, police said. Typically, the neighborhood is fairly quiet. Police and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department personnel patrol the area often because they have a fueling station just across the street.

It's still a mystery what led up to the shooting on Matthew Street near Barnhill's home.

"We have no idea why this happened why this took place and it was someone close to him," McLauren told News4Jax by phone on Tuesday.

Barnhill's grandmother said they know who shot him, but would not elaborate beyond saying that the family believes the gunman left the city.

"All we do know that he's running," McLauren said. "He's been running since this happened."

Before the shooting, she said, Barnhill was working at a local restaurant and taking care of his son. He was expecting a second child. As a teen, he played sports. Barnhill's grandmother said he was trying to figure out what career he wanted for the rest of his life.

"He had so many things that he wanted to do," McLauren said.

Now the family will never know.

McLauren sent this message to the person she said is on the run: "Turn yourself in. Go ahead and turn yourself in."

According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, Barnhill's death is being investigated as a murder.

His grandmother explained this last week has been tragic, as another family died in an accident on Interstate 295. 


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