JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Three Black people were reportedly killed in a racially-motivated attack at a discount store in Jacksonville, authorities said.
The victims were two men and one woman.
“Plainly put, this shooting was racially motivated, and he hated Black people,” Duval County Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference Saturday evening.
The shooting happened around 1 p.m. after a man carrying an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun entered the store wearing a tactical vest. The suspect fired multiple rounds before turning the weapon himself, according to Waters.
A 21-year-old White man identified as Ryan Palmeter intended to shoot Black people after initially trying to gain access to an HBCU campus on Saturday. After Palmeter was turned away, he then went to a Dollar General store and fatally shot 52-year-old Angela Michelle Carr as she sat in her vehicle. He then chased 19-year-old A.J. Laguerre through the store before fatally shooting him. The third victim, 29-year-old Jerrald Gallion was killed as he entered the store, according to Duval County Sheriff’s Office
Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke at a vigil on Sunday where he condemned the shooting. DeSantis was booed by people in attendance before a Jacksonville City Councilwoman intervened on behalf of the governor.
DeSantis has been criticized for his “Stop WOKE” policies which many have called rhetoric that fuels violent acts against Black Americans.
At the conference, DeSantis said he would allocate funds to provide more security for HBCU’s in Florida.
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