No one was injured after two men allegedly exchanged gunfire during a child custody handoff in Clay County, deputies said. Both suspects were taken into custody after fleeing the scene.
OAKLEAF PLANTATION, Fla. — Two men were arrested Friday after investigators said they shot at one another inside an Oakleaf Plantation home while children were present during a custody exchange.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office received multiple 911 reports of gunshots on Baybridge Court shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, authorities said.
Within minutes, dispatchers received additional calls reporting that a vehicle had crashed on nearby Piedmont Manor Drive and that a man was running through a resident’s backyard.
Deputies responded to the area and quickly located all of those believed to be involved in the shooting, officials said.
Investigators determined that the two men involved knew each other, according to the sheriff’s office.
Authorities said the incident began during a planned custody exchange between separated parents at a home on Baybridge Court. During the handoff, the woman’s current boyfriend and her legal husband allegedly began firing at each other while children were nearby.
Despite the exchange of gunfire, no one was struck or injured, deputies said. Both men are now in custody.
One suspect fled on foot through backyards in the Baybridge Court cul-de-sac before deputies found him a short time later, investigators said. The other allegedly drove away, crashed into a tree on Piedmont Manor Drive and then ran. A sheriff’s office K-9 later located him. He was taken to a hospital for injuries authorities said he sustained after the shooting.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is asked to call the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512. Tips may also be submitted through SaferWatch or to First Coast Crime Stoppers by dialing **TIPS.