Bloody day in Jacksonville backdrop for political theater

The Jacksonville Jaguars were losing at home when news broke of six people shot just blocks from the stadium.

Shootings are nothing new to Jacksonville, often called the murder capital of the state. However, this one had a particular political weight, right down to the investigating sheriff, who was apparently in Tampa offering support to gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis.

6 People Shot – #Jacksonville

-900 blk of A Philip Randolph
-Ages 20’s – 70’s
-3 critical
-Shot from passenger side of vehicle
-Victims were outside on the sidewalk
-Suspect vehicle is a silver/grey 4 door sedan

Call 904-630-0500 with info or email [email protected]. pic.twitter.com/Ye1BmkVi0j

— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) October 21, 2018

The news soon enough went national.

Jacksonville shooting near Jaguars game wounds 6, 3 critically, police say. https://t.co/zVgFpbDqAY

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 21, 2018

And as it went national, Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis, a Democrat who may run for Mayor, needled incumbent Republican Mayor Lenny Curry about the shootings.

Mayor @lennycurry!!!! No More Photo Ops! No More Press Conferences! No More being propped up by Gaffney, Newby, and Pittman. Get off your “BUTT” and LEAD or RESIGN! @DuvalDEC @kingforJAX @AGGancarski @NateMonroeTU @Nathan_D_McKay @Kevin_Clair_Jax @StevenTatsak @PDADuval https://t.co/gRP4j9qXHh

— Member of the Lot J 7 (@GarrettDennis_1) October 21, 2018

Mayor @lennycurry travels to and from the stadium with armed security while the average citizen can’t even go to a game without the risk of getting shot. @kingforJAX @AGGancarski @NateMonroeTU @DuvalDEC #2019CantGetHereFastEnough #CrimeIsOnTheRise #TimeForLennyToGo #1Term https://t.co/kLFflF24Hu

— Member of the Lot J 7 (@GarrettDennis_1) October 21, 2018

Curry did not respond. However, Jacksonville’s shootings would find a global platform Sunday evening, as Democrat Andrew Gillum debated Republican Ron DeSantis on CNN.

Gillum, in defending himself against DeSantis’ contention that Tallahassee is a hotbed of violent crime, noted the shooting in Jacksonville. That is, unfortunately, an undercount, as shootings happened elsewhere in the city.

@lennycurry @GoMeteoric @Davidcawton @PDADuval @DuvalDEC @AndrewGillum @AGGancarski @Nathan_D_McKay @kingforJAX @MelissainJax @brittneyANjax @StevenTatsak @SandyM1220 @KingObi @ChrisHongTU @NateMonroeTU @apantazi #CrimeOnTheRise pic.twitter.com/dn47xM6GQk

— Member of the Lot J 7 (@GarrettDennis_1) October 22, 2018

Jacksonville, which has a Republican mayor and Sheriff who both endorsed DeSantis ahead of the primary, has struggled with its murder rate for decades.

That Sheriff, Mike Williams, pilloried Gillum on public safety on behalf of the DeSantis campaign, in a statement that dropped just minutes after the debate.

“Andrew Gillum hasn’t supported law enforcement, he signed an anti-police pledge, and he didn’t do anything tonight to calm the nerves of people rightfully concerned about public safety under his failed leadership,” Williams said.

Questions that Williams’ quote may have been pre-provided abounded, but per a picture from Attorney General Pam Bondi, Williams was at the CNN debate with sheriffs and the AG.

Curry and Williams face re-election in 2019. Stemming the murder rate has proven elusive despite increases in law enforcement budgets (largely a function of collectively bargained pay raises and equipment revamps).