Early Wednesday morning in Arlington's Bruce Park, a man in his 20s or 30s was found fatally shot. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reported that the body was located in a pavilion in the park, near Arlington and Rogero roads. According to News4Jax, a 911 call was made by a resident of a nearby apartment who saw the victim lying on the ground after hearing gunfire.
Sgt. Steve Rudlaff with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit indicated that officers responded to the scene around 2 a.m. after receiving reports of gunshots from neighbors. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are looking for any video evidence from the area that could help clarify the circumstances of the shooting. "There were several individuals that were hanging out inside the park when they (officers) came here," Rudlaff said in a statement obtained by First Coast News.
The identity of the deceased has not been publicly released. A resident from an apartment complex in the 6500 block of Arlington Road reported hearing what they believed were gunshots according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, as reported by Action News Jax.
He noted that Bruce Park is known as a place where homeless individuals may spend the night. Although some were initially detained, Rudlaff clarified that "none of them had any involvement in the situation," as detailed by First Coast News. Currently, the sheriff's office does not have a description of any suspects and is actively investigating the incident. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about this incident to call them at 904-630-0500. To give anonymous tips, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
