An active shooter situation escalated to a race-fueled mass shooting nearby Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida, leaving four individuals deceased and two others wounded, Your Content has learned.
Updates
Update 6:05 p.m.: Jacksonville Police Department has just confirmed that the shooter involved in today’s tragic incident near Edward Waters University is now dead. The situation has moved from an active standoff to an ongoing investigation.
Your Jacksonville Coverage
Initial Report: Law enforcement reports indicate that the assailant has taken refuge in a nearby Dollar General store and is currently in a standoff with police.
The horrifying episode took place in the vicinity of Edward Waters University, a prominent historically black institution in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, along with other local law enforcement agencies, have secured the area surrounding the Dollar General store where the gunman is holed up.
The reason for the attack is still under investigation, and residents are advised to steer clear of the affected area.
Witnesses at the scene recount hearing a series of gunshots, followed by people fleeing from the Dollar General store. Ambulances were promptly dispatched, and the injured parties have been transported to nearby medical facilities. Their current medical status has not been disclosed.
A SWAT team from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is engaged in the standoff with the gunman. Crisis negotiators are also present, making efforts to establish contact with the individual inside the store.
As this is an ongoing situation, law enforcement is working tirelessly to bring it to a close. The immediate area around the university and the Dollar General remains sealed off.