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The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports 92 homicides in Jacksonville in 2023, including 10 children.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville leaders are calling for change after a recent uptick in violence with children involved.
Just Sunday, a 9-year-old boy is recovering after police say they believe he was shot by his 6-year-old brother.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reports 92 homicides so far this year – 10 of them children.
The 9-year-old who was shot survived, but Nixon wants to see something change before any more children are hurt.
“As a mother, I am very saddened and outraged as it relates to the murders of two babies,” said Nixon.
Just in the past month, a 3-year-old, two 6-year-olds, and a 12-year-old have been killed in Jacksonville.
Another three children, including the one from this past weekend, have been injured.
State Senator Tracie Davis says she’s working on an initiative to address gun laws right now, but bills come and go every year without gaining enough traction to even be heard on the state senate floor.
“We want to just make sure we are building a life where they can live and experience joy,” said Nixon.
Nixon is calling on people to join their neighborhood associations, and if they don’t have one, to establish one.
“We don’t even know who’s in our community, who are neighbors are, and we would feel more comfortable calling the police or reporting things that aren’t savory that are happening if we knew each other,” said Nixon. “If we felt safe around one another.”
Nixon and Davis will host a virtual community meeting next Monday to take suggestions and recommendations for the next steps to curb the violence.
The two will also have a closed door meeting with Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters soon.
