Jacksonville officials respond after reported ‘racially motivated’ shooting at local store

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FLV) – Jacksonville officials responded after a Saturday shooting at a Dollar General where the suspect allegedly intended to target Black people.

The shooter killed three people and then himself, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff T.K. Waters said the shooting was “racially motivated” and the suspect “hated Black people.”

Local officials expressed anger and horror at the situation.

“Our community is grappling to understand why this atrocity occurred,” Waters said Sunday. “I urge us all not to look for sense in a senseless act of violence.”

Waters confirmed the shooter Sunday as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter who killed 52-year-old Angela Michelle Carr, 29-year-old Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, and 19-year-old Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr.

“His sickening ideology is not represented with the values of this Jacksonville community that we all love so much,” Waters said. “We are not a community of hate. We stand united with the good and decent people of this city. We reject this inexcusable violence.”

Clay County Sheriff’s Office, who Waters said has been assisting Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office with the investigation, said they received information after the shooting occurred that the suspect authored “several manifestos”: one to his parents, one to the media and one to federal agents.

“Portions of these manifestos detail the shooter’s disgusting ideology of hate,” Waters said.

During a press conference Saturday, Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan pointed out that Saturday was the five-year anniversary of a mass shooting that occurred at the Jacksonville Landing.

The mayor said she believes the shooter indicated in the manifesto that he was “aware of that and perhaps chose this date in alignment with that.”

“We have to do everything that we can to bring unity. No more division. No more hate. We cannot tolerate hate against our Black community,” Deegan said on social media.

The mayor hosted a prayer vigil Sunday in honor of the victims of the shooting.

Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, released a statement that expressed his “deep sadness and anger about the racially-motivated shootings and tragic loss of life.” He quoted Acts 17:26 from the Bible.

“‘God has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth…,’ meaning that we all have the same blood regardless of our race,” Yarborough said. “For someone to take the life of another because of their race is against God’s order and fundamentally wrong.”

Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, said on social media that he stands with Waters to “ensure we move forward together as a city, and to make certain that this NEVER happens again!”

Jacksonville City Councilman Kevin Carrico said that he is “horrified and outraged at this despicable act of violence and hatred.”

“It is my deepest hope that we can move forward together as one city to overcome these violent acts and all forms of racism in our community,” Carrico said.

Councilman Terrance Freeman said “evil has no home in this city.”

“I am thankful for our first responders for their bravery and responding quickly to this disgusting attack in Northwest Jacksonville,” Freeman said. “Please join me in solemn prayer for the victims and their families.”

Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, said “this isn’t freedom,” claiming Florida’s political leaders have “not passed policies that put the safety of all communities first.”

“We need reasonable restrictions that ensure our communities can be safe from gun violence and that includes eliminating access to uniquely dangerous firearms equipped to facilitate mass shootings,” Nixon said.

Nixon also posted on social media that this “isn’t a ‘mental health’ issue, this is a systemic racism issue.” Councilman Jimmy Peluso retweeted Nixon’s post.

City Council President Ron Salem posted a statement, saying his “heart changed from sadness to anger” after learning the shooting was racially-motivated.

Around 1 p.m. Saturday, Waters said video shows the suspect in the parking lot in front of the store, where he reportedly killed the first victim by shooting into their car. The suspect then entered the store and killed the second victim, according to the sheriff.

After Palmeter reportedly shot and killed the third victim, Waters said the suspect chased a witness through the store, shooting at the witness, but did not strike them, and the witness exited the rear door.

Police said the suspect shot out of the rear door and went back into the store, walked into the office and texted his father, and reportedly told him to “use a screwdriver” to get into his room where his father found a testament and a suicide note on his laptop.

Waters said officers entered the Dollar General “just 11 minutes after this whole ordeal began” and heard a single gunshot where they “believe that’s when he killed himself.”

Waters said that prior to the shooting, the suspect arrived in the parking lot behind the library of Edward Waters University, a private, Christian, historically Black university, where he allegedly was putting on his bulletproof vest. Waters said a TikTok video during that time showed the shooter getting dressed.

The university’s security allegedly pulled into the same parking lot as the suspect and the suspect left the parking lot. Security followed the suspect and flagged down a police officer and said there was a suspicious person on campus, according to police.

Waters said Edward Waters University security told the officer that the suspect was in a tan Kia, but Palmeter was reportedly in a gray Honda Element.

“We continue to pray for the loved ones of those who were lost through this maniac’s acts of senseless violence,” Waters said Sunday.