A.G. Gancarski
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 sedanCall 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).
7 comments
Marshall
October 22, 2018 at 12:00 am
This violent reality could easily accelerate to engulf the entire state of Florida if pro-criminal anti-law enforcement Gillum takes the Governor mansion.
Frankie M.
October 22, 2018 at 12:18 am
Or we can keep doing the same old things that we know don’t work.
Margaret Ellington
October 22, 2018 at 1:59 am
And will you explain?
Ms Tia.
October 22, 2018 at 2:56 pm
‘pro criminal, anti-law enforcement’ really. You cannot sincerely believe he operates this way.
Ayesha Covington
October 22, 2018 at 7:35 am
The Mayor and Sheriff need to stop blaming gangs and use some of the 30 million dollars he allocated in the new fiscal budget.
Darlene
October 22, 2018 at 9:54 am
Poverty is the culprit. Part of the reason that Jacksonville has a crime problem is that large areas of the city are very poor and there are very few services available to help those who are poor. The result is an increase in gang activity and hopelessness in the citizens that makes human life less valuable including their own. So the problem isn’t going to be solved by more funding for police or other law enforcement the problem will be solved by offering solutions to the poverty that engulfs many of these people’s lives.
Seber Newsome III
October 24, 2018 at 3:23 am
Garrett Dennis blames the Mayor for the violence problem, when it is his black “brothers” committing the crimes. Dennis, get off your butt and go talk to “your” people about why they are committing these shootings and stop blaming “Whitey”.
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