3 injured at Northside ‘celebration of life’ event after 2 people walk up, fire into crowd
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Three people were injured Tuesday after two people walked up to a “celebration of life event” for someone who recently died and opened fire into the packed crowd.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, over 100 people were at the event at 4th Avenue and Campus Avenue in the Riverview area. When the event was winding down around 5 p.m., JSO said the two shooters showed up and fired multiple rounds.
JSO said the host of the event hired armed security guards and either the armed security guards or the event goers returned fire at the two shooters before they ran off.
According to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, three people were transported from the scene including one person with serious wounds. JSO said they are expected to survive.
JSO said it is still working to figure out where the gunfire came from that injured the three people.
A neighbor who was walking her dog around the corner said the gunfire spooked her dog into running away.
“I was terrified. I mean, I’m trying to chase my dog and get to safety,” the woman said.
Neighbors News4JAX spoke with also said the exchange of gunfire sounded like something you would hear on a battlefield.
“It was like a wild, wild western with a whole bunch of high artillery,” a witness said.
A family member of one of the people who attended the celebration of life event told News4JAX that the event was for a man who died in the hospital after he was shot multiple times several months ago. That family member said he was trying to deliver food to the event when he realized it had turned into a crime scene.
Investigators said it’s too early to determine if the shooting is linked to the shooting death of the person who recently died in the hospital.
JSO said around 8 p.m. that it was talking to numerous witnesses but the only thing released about the suspects was that they were wearing all black.
Anyone with information is asked to contact JSO or CrimeStoppers.
Source: WJXT News4JAX
