A Sunday night argument between groups of kids at Clanzel T. Brown Park in Northwest Jacksonville ended with a 12-year-old boy shot in the left leg, according to police.
Jacksonville officers responded to reports of gunfire near the park and found the boy on West 35th Street across from the park. Paramedics took him to a hospital for treatment. Officials have not released additional details about his condition.
Investigators say the trouble started after a group of juveniles gathered at the park. Some of them left, then came back and confronted the others, and that is when shots were fired, according to police. The suspected shooter is described as a young man, possibly in his late teens, who ran north on Moncrief Road after the gunfire.
Crime scene detectives recovered multiple shell casings in the area. Investigators told reporters they do not see any indication the shooting was gang-related and do not believe the wider public is at risk. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500, Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS, or leave an online tip, as reported by News4JAX.
Investigation and Tips
JSO is urging neighbors to register their security cameras, review home surveillance footage and share anything that might help move the investigation forward. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office lists its non-emergency number as 904-630-0500 and offers online tip forms on its website, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Park Context
Clanzel T. Brown Park has been a busy neighborhood gathering spot this month. Earlier in July it hosted Duval Day, a festival that drew thousands to Moncrief. Ahead of that event, the sheriff's office assigned roughly 120 personnel to handle traffic and security, according to Action News Jax, underscoring why both neighbors and officials keep a close eye on activity at the park.
