A Jacksonville child was rushed to Wolfson Children’s Hospital after a weekend shooting inside a home, and a 32-year-old man is now facing charges tied to what police found at the scene.
Officers say the child’s injuries were not life-threatening and that the child is receiving treatment at the hospital. The suspected shooter, identified as Joshua Andrew Morgan, was arrested in connection with the incident. When officers searched the home, they reported finding a pistol sitting on a kitchen table and a blood-covered bag inside.
According to Action News Jax, Morgan is charged with child neglect with great bodily harm and improper firearm storage. Investigators say the child was taken to Wolfson Children’s Hospital with injuries that were serious but not life-threatening. Police reported that the pistol was on the kitchen table beside a bag that appeared to have a bullet hole and a muzzle burn inside it. The arrest report released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was heavily redacted, and it notes that Morgan spoke with officers before being booked into jail.
Police and safety context
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has repeatedly pushed the message that guns in homes need to be locked up, especially after a string of accidental shootings involving children. On its public news pages, the agency reminds residents that free gun locks are available at sheriff’s substations for anyone who needs them and recommends keeping firearms locked and storing ammunition separately. The guidance is part of a long-running effort by local law enforcement to cut down on incidents where kids get their hands on unsecured weapons, sometimes with tragic results.
Charges and next steps
Per Action News Jax, the public version of the arrest paperwork leaves major questions unanswered. Key details, including how the gun was fired and what the child’s relationship is to Morgan, are blacked out. The Duval County State Attorney’s Office is expected to review the case file, then decide whether to stick with the current charges or pursue additional or different counts as detectives keep gathering evidence.
How common are incidents like this?
Researchers say unintentional and pediatric firearm injuries remain a stubborn public health issue across the country. A recent analysis of CDC data published in PubMed Central found wide variation between states in unintentional firearm deaths and documented thousands of nonfatal firearm injuries to children treated in hospitals each year.
Jacksonville has seen its share of heartbreak involving unsecured guns. In 2023, a case reported by ABC News drew national attention and renewed public pressure on adults to lock up their weapons. In the wake of those and similar incidents, local doctors and police have continued to call for safer storage, more education and stronger prevention programs.
In the current case, police have not released any additional public details about exactly what happened inside the home or about the child’s present condition, and there were no court records immediately available that showed formal case filings. News outlets say they plan to keep tracking developments. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigations unit.
