Man shot, killed in Southside Jacksonville apartment complex

Shooter is on run, police say

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 25-year-old man is dead after he was shot multiple times in the parking lot of a Southside apartment complex Friday night, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The shooting happened at the Century Deerwood Park Apartments on Gate Parkway.

Dozens of officers first flooded the apartment complex near J. Turner Butler Boulevard around 9 p.m. in response to the shooting and found the man with multiple gunshot wounds. Multiple cars were also hit by bullets, JSO said.

RAW VIDEO: Police briefing on shooting at Century Deerwood Park Apartments

The victim later died at an area hospital.

"It's kind of scary because you never know who's out there," said Madeline Donovan, who lives nearby.

Witnesses told JSO they saw a man wearing black clothing running north from the scene of the shooting. As of Saturday, no arrests were announced.

JSO did not release the name of the victim.

"It was very concerning, as you can imagine," Darren Fitzpatrick said.

Krystal Horta and Fitzpatrick were home when the shooting broke out in their parking lot. They were listening to music, so they didn't hear the gunfire.

"I heard the helicopter around for about an hour right above our apartment complex," Horta said. "I definitely heard the police out here, too, and I saw the lights through the window."

"I actually had headphones on at the time, but she definitely alerted me and let me know that she did hear helicopters, and at the time, we did close our windows and just bunkered down," Fitzpatrick said.

JSO said Friday night the motive for the shooting was unknown but investigators were speaking to witnesses in the apartment complex in order to better understand what happened.

"I think it's something that everyone in the area should take caution of, something the whole Gate Parkway should be aware of," Fitzpatrick said. "I know it's known as a secure and safe atmosphere, but it just goes to show it could happen anywhere, so I think it's very important for people to know to just protect themselves."


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