A white male shooter in Jacksonville, FL has killed three black individuals in a racially motivated attack.
The shooter, who was described by Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters as being in his 20s, was first seen outside of Edward Waters University (EWU).
The students of the university were told to stay inside. As the armed forces stood outside the campus, the gunman fled the scene to a nearby Dollar General dollar store.
The gunman was carrying a Glock and an AR-15-style rifle.
EWU is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) causing many to believe the gunman initially chose the university because of the large black population that attends the school.
The shooter killed himself after killing three people inside the store. Those who were killed included two black men and one black woman.
“This was quite frankly a maniac who wanted to take lives,” said Sheriff Waters.
Before the shooter committed the murderous act, he texted his father and wrote several manifestos. The manifestos revealed a racist ideology in which the shooter used the n-word to describe black people.
“This is a dark day in Jacksonville’s history. There is no place for hate in this community,” said the sheriff.
“I am sickened by this cowardly shooter’s personal ideology.”
Several local politicians spoke out about the racist act of violence including Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan (D) and Florida Representative Angie Nixon (D).
“I'm heartbroken. This is a community that has suffered again and again. We must do everything to dissuade this type of hate,” said Deegan.
“My heart breaks for the victims of this horrific act of senseless, hateful violence and the lifelong grief, loss, and pain of their loved ones. This isn’t freedom,” said Rep. Nixon.
“True freedom means all Floridians regardless of who we are or what we look like, can live free from harm. But Florida’s political leaders have not passed policies that put the safety of all communities first. We must come together to change that.”
The racially motivated shooting, in which the shooter’s gun had swastikas drawn on it, comes on the anniversary of a previous mass shooting that took place in Jacksonville at what was once known as “The Landing”.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis condemned the shooting and attended a vigil held in Jacksonville.
