San Marco merchants say they were shaken by a shooting near Balis Park as Jacksonville detectives work to identify the gunman and determine what sparked the incident.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Business owners in the San Marco Square area are looking for answers after gunfire erupted along San Marco Boulevard, prompting a search by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for the person responsible.
Officers responded Wednesday evening after receiving a report that someone had been shot near San Marco Square. Investigators collected shell casings, spoke with witnesses, sought nearby surveillance video and pursued additional leads.
The injured person is assisting investigators, according to JSO. Authorities have not named a suspect or provided a description. Detectives are also working to determine whether the victim and shooter were acquainted. Police said the incident does not appear to involve domestic violence or gang activity and currently believe it was an isolated shooting.
Rula Carr, the owner of The Snob, said she was heading toward her vehicle after dropping off a friend when emergency crews suddenly arrived.
“All of a sudden, we saw a fire truck that was going down the street, and we thought he was going to San Jose, but it turned right into the parking lot,” Carr said.
She then noticed a person leaning over a car and quickly realized someone may have been injured.
“I could see somebody that was slumped over a car, and I said to my friend, I said, I bet somebody got hurt. Somebody either got knifed or got shot,” she said.
Carr said the uncertainty made the first moments especially unsettling as she tried to understand what had happened.
“It was very scary, because I was like, ‘Oh, my God, what’s going on?’ Because you didn’t know what was going on,” she said.
After more than 25 years in the San Marco business community, Carr said she had never witnessed a shooting occur so near her shop.
“You hear about it, and you’ve heard about it around Jacksonville, but certainly not on our doorstep. No, never,” she said.
Even so, Carr said she hopes the shooting will not overshadow the neighborhood or keep people from visiting local businesses.
“This is a great community. This is a lively community here. We’ve got some great shopping here, there’s some great stores, some great restaurants. And it’s a family-oriented community,” Carr said.
“We really know each other, and we take care of each other,” she added.
Marina LaFrossia, an employee at San Marco Books & More, said the report caught her off guard.
“It did surprise me just because I feel like that doesn’t typically something I hear about in San Marco. Usually we’re pretty quiet,” LaFrossia said.
When she learned that someone had been shot, LaFrossia said her first response was one of disbelief and concern.
“Just definitely pure shock. Definitely, that’s kind of scary,” she said.
Detectives from JSO’s Robbery and Violent Crime Unit remain focused on interviewing witnesses, obtaining surveillance footage and developing new leads in the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact JSO at 904-630-0500 or email JSOCRIMETIPS@JAXSHERIFF.ORG. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.