District of ColumbiaFloridaGeneral NewsLegal proceedingsRacismU.S. News Spiritual Leader Advocates for Grief Over Anger in Wake of Racially-Motivated Shooting in Jacksonville, Florida by Andrew Wright August 27, 2023 written by Andrew Wright August 27, 2023 8 comments Bookmark 47 The clergyman of a nearby church in the vicinity of the racially-driven fatal attack on three Black individuals in Florida urged his parishioners on Sunday to emulate the teachings of Jesus Christ, channeling their sorrow into reflection rather than indignation. The mayor of Jacksonville was visibly emotional during her address, while others at the service scrutinized the state’s political discourse as a contributing factor to such heinous racial acts. This violent incident has deeply impacted an historic Black community in Jacksonville. The occurrence coincided with thousands traveling to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Rev. Al Sharpton’s 60th-anniversary commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom—famous for Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” oration. Sunday services at St. Paul AME Church, located approximately three miles from where the atrocity took place, were centered on this latest episode in America’s extensive history of racially-motivated killings. “Our spirits are shattered,” said Rev. Willie Barnes to his congregation on Sunday morning. “Like many of you, I am struggling to suppress my own anger.” Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan was overcome with emotion as she spoke to the church members. “It often appears as though we are regressing as a society,” she noted. “Some argue that the current public rhetoric is simply political maneuvering, devoid of genuine sentiment,” Deegan added. “But for the three lives lost, this is not mere political spectacle.” Hymns such as “Amazing Grace” were sung and prayers were offered for the bereaved families and the larger community. The congregants, heads lowered, responded with affirmations of “amen.” The perpetrator, a white male masked and armed with a firearm marked with a swastika, carried out the shooting at a Dollar General store, resulting in the deaths of two men and one woman. The crime occurred in close proximity to Edward Waters University, a small and historically Black institution. In addition to the firearm adorned with Nazi symbolism, the assailant made racially hateful statements prior to the attack. He took his own life at the scene. State Rep. Angie Nixon, a Jacksonville Democrat, was one of several elected officials to comment during the church service. She emphasized that these racially-motivated acts have been spurred on by current political rhetoric and policies from the Republican-controlled state government, led by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Sheriff T.K. Waters indicated that the attacker acted alone and left behind statements to federal law enforcement and media that hinted at the attack being designed to coincide with the fifth anniversary of another mass shooting in Jacksonville. The names of both the victims and the perpetrator were not immediately disclosed. However, local media sources speculated on the identity of the assailant, which was not independently verified by The Big Big News as of early Sunday. Regarding safety at Edward Waters University, the campus security had encountered the individual near the library, asking for his identification. When the man refused, he was directed to leave and was seen donning a bullet-resistant vest and mask before departing the campus. According to Sheriff Waters, the attacker sent a text message to his father shortly before the incident, instructing him to check his computer, where writings were found. The family alerted 911, but the act had already been committed. Mayor Deegan remarked, “This is a community that has endured repeated suffering. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in this grim situation yet again.” Rudolph McKissick, a national board member of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Jacksonville, opined that the political climate was aggravating racial tensions in Florida. Other racially-motivated incidents include a 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, which resulted in ten fatalities, and a 2015 shooting at an African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, South Carolina. The incident occurred a day before Jacksonville’s 63rd anniversary of the infamous “Ax Handle Saturday,” during which 200 members of the Ku Klux Klan attacked Black protesters peacefully opposing Jim Crow laws. Police took no action until a Black street gang intervened, resulting in the arrest of only Black individuals. Marsha Dean Phelts, 79, a resident of Jacksonville, was in Washington for the King commemoration. She resides in Amelia Island, a beach community established due to segregation. “We didn’t have access to public amenities, even though our taxes were funding them,” she recalled. LaTonya Thomas, 52, another Jacksonville resident, emphasized the historic significance of their journey to Washington, D.C., for the commemoration event. Contributions for this report were made by AP writers John Raoux in Jacksonville, Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Trisha Ahmed in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Mike Balsamo in Washington. Table of Contents Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Jacksonville Racially-Motivated ShootingWhat happened in Jacksonville, Florida?Where did the Jacksonville shooting take place?What was the community’s reaction to the shooting?How did elected officials respond?What were the specifics of the shooter’s actions?What is the broader historical context?Are there any connections to previous violent incidents?More about Jacksonville Racially-Motivated Shooting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Jacksonville Racially-Motivated Shooting What happened in Jacksonville, Florida? A white male shooter carried out a racially-motivated attack inside a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, killing three Black individuals. The shooter, who was in his 20s, wore a bullet-resistant vest and used firearms that bore Nazi symbols. He also issued racist statements before the shooting and subsequently killed himself at the scene. Where did the Jacksonville shooting take place? The attack occurred within a Dollar General store and was near Edward Waters University, a small, historically Black institution. The incident was also approximately 3 miles away from St. Paul AME Church, which later held a service discussing the tragedy. What was the community’s reaction to the shooting? The incident was the focus of services at St. Paul AME Church, where the pastor and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan addressed the congregation. The community is in a state of mourning and outrage, with many pointing to Florida’s political rhetoric as a contributing factor to such racist attacks. How did elected officials respond? Elected officials, including state Rep. Angie Nixon and Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan, spoke out against the racist attack and discussed the potential influence of current political rhetoric. Mayor Deegan wept during her speech, and state Rep. Nixon condemned the policies of Florida’s Republican-led government, including Governor Ron DeSantis, for fueling racial tensions. What were the specifics of the shooter’s actions? The shooter wore a bullet-resistant vest and carried firearms that were marked with Nazi symbols. He was alone at the time of the attack and left behind writings suggesting the attack was intended to mark the fifth anniversary of another shooting in Jacksonville. He killed himself at the scene of the crime. What is the broader historical context? The shooting took place a day before the 63rd anniversary of Jacksonville’s “Ax Handle Saturday,” a notorious event where 200 Ku Klux Klan members attacked Black protesters. It also occurred as thousands visited Washington, D.C., for the 60th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, making the incident especially poignant in the context of America’s long history of racial violence. Are there any connections to previous violent incidents? The Jacksonville shooting occurred a year after another major attack targeting Black Americans at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket, and several years after the Charleston Church shooting. These incidents underscore the recurring theme of racially-motivated attacks in the United States. More about Jacksonville Racially-Motivated Shooting Jacksonville Racially-Motivated Shooting: Full Report Historical Context: The 1963 March on Washington Background: Florida’s Political Rhetoric and Racial Tensions Past Incidents: Buffalo Supermarket Shooting Previous Hate Crimes: Charleston Church Shooting Understanding Hate Crimes in the United States Ax Handle Saturday: Jacksonville’s Painful Past Edward Waters University: An Historically Black Institution Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: Policies and Public Statements St. Paul AME Church: Community Response to the Tragedy You Might Be Interested In Escalating Costs of Essential European Food Items Persist Trump lawyers say prosecutors want to ‘silence’ him with gag order in his federal 2020 election case Ex-fundraiser for George Santos pleads guilty to posing as congressional aide to raise campaign cash Haley says US forces ‘need to align’ with countries including Russia; campaign says she misspoke Over 100 Dolphins Perish in Brazilian Amazon Amid Rising Water Temperatures The $1.4 Billion Powerball Jackpot: An Amalgamation of Rising Interest Rates, Mathematical Probabilities, Sales Trends, and Fortuity Community ResponseDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeneral Newshate crimeJacksonville shootingLegal proceedingsPolitical Rhetoricracial violenceRacism Share 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail Andrew Wright Follow Author Andrew Wright is a business reporter who covers the latest news and trends in the world of finance and economics. He enjoys analyzing market trends and economic data, and he is always on the lookout for new opportunities for investors. previous post NASCAR driver Ryan Preece gets medical clearance to return home after terrifying crash at Daytona next post Confirmation of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Death in Plane Crash Announced by Russian Authorities You may also like Bookmark A woman who burned Wyoming’s only full-service abortion... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Argument over Christmas gifts turns deadly as 14-year-old... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Danny Masterson sent to state prison to serve... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Hong Kong man jailed for 6 years after... December 28, 2023 Bookmark AP concludes at least hundreds died in floods... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Live updates | Israeli forces raid a West... December 28, 2023 8 comments JamesRiley August 27, 2023 - 4:58 pm Wow, this is heart-wrenching. can’t believe we’re still dealing with this kinda hate in 2023. Just not right… Reply Lisa_J August 27, 2023 - 5:01 pm Read the article, and I’m speechless. How many more lives will it take for us to address this issue seriously? Reply SandraT August 27, 2023 - 6:53 pm Oh my God, this is devastating. Why hasn’t more been done to stop these racist attacks? The politicians should be ashamed. Reply KevinM August 27, 2023 - 11:31 pm the political part of it is what gets me, feels like we’re fueling this kinda thing with all the rhetoric goin around. sad. Reply Mike_Z August 28, 2023 - 1:54 am Has any1 seen DeSantis comments? Calling the shooter a “scumbag” doesn’t fix the issues in Florida’s political climate that might’ve contributed. Reply SarahW August 28, 2023 - 2:01 am History keeps repeating itself and it’s just awful. The story mentioned Ax Handle Saturday and I had to look that up. Heartbreaking to see how far we haven’t come. Reply TomK August 28, 2023 - 6:39 am I’m close to Edward Waters University, never thought this could happen so near. Makes you rethink the whole safety thing huh Reply Daniel_H August 28, 2023 - 9:07 am I knew people at that March on Washington commemoration. To think that they were celebrating civil rights history while this happened. Unreal. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ