A Jacksonville neighborhood is on edge after a Thursday confrontation in Dinsmore where a man allegedly pulled a gun on his neighbor and unleashed a stream of racial slurs at a group of children, according to witnesses. Neighbors identified the suspect as James Odneal and say the encounter has left families rattled. Police booked Odneal on an aggravated-assault charge, and he remains in custody.
Resident Darius Brock told reporters the situation blew up while his children were outside. He says Odneal pointed a handgun at him and the kids, repeatedly using the N-word with a hard r and threatening to break down a fence and let his dog loose on them. Brock said his 10-year-old son Milo and several other children, a group the family said included kids ages 5 to 11, ran and hid as the confrontation unfolded.
According to jail logs reviewed by Action News Jax, Odneal was arrested by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and booked on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
Charges and legal context
Police records list “aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill” as the charge in the case. Under Florida law, aggravated assault includes an assault “with a deadly weapon without intent to kill” and is classified as a third-degree felony that can carry up to five years in prison, per The Florida Senate.
Neighbors' accounts
Brock and his wife, Christyana Moura, say they are shaken and are urging anyone who saw what happened to come forward and speak with investigators. “Milo said they ran away and hid from the neighbor,” the family recounted in an interview with Action News Jax.
The couple says they want to be sure their children, and other kids in the area, feel safe stepping outside again, and they are looking to the legal system to provide that sense of security.
Investigation underway
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office made the arrest, and the case remains under investigation by local authorities. Prosecutors will review the file and decide whether to file formal charges and set court dates. Neighbors say they are watching closely and want protections in place for the family while the case moves through the system.
