JACKSONVILLE, Fla.— In the wake of a hate crime declaration following a mass shooting at a Dollar General store that claimed three lives, new details have emerged. Your Content has learned of a mother’s harrowing account, revealing a chilling campus encounter with the suspected mass shooter.
ReShonda Tate, a distressed mother, has come forward with a chilling account of the gunman’s initial intent. “The gunman in Jacksonville went to my daughter’s campus first intent on a racially-motivated mass shooting,” Tate disclosed.
Her daughter, miraculously unharmed, had been practicing in the gym when campus security acted promptly to thwart the assailant’s sinister plans.
“My daughter was in the gym practicing. Security stopped him and he went to the dollar store and murdered others because of the color of their skin. Thank you Jesus for protecting my baby and the other students.” Tate concluded.
Edward Waters University, situated in Jacksonville, Florida, stands as a distinguished private Christian historically Black university. With its origins dating back to 1866, the institution was established by the African Methodist Episcopal Church with a noble purpose: to provide education to freedmen and their children.
As Your Content readers were first to learn, a shocking incident unfolded against the backdrop of the Dollar General store on Saturday, leaving the Jacksonville community in shock. Authorities have since declared the attack to be racially motivated, sending shockwaves throughout the city.
Sheriff T.K. Waters, in a press conference, minced no words, stating, “Plainly put, this shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people.” The revelation adds a disturbing layer to the already distressing narrative of the incident.
The shooter’s choice of weapons, a handgun and an AR-15-style rifle, both emblazoned with Swastikas, paints a grim picture of the shooter’s intentions.
The victims, identified as two males and one female, all of African American descent, have been mourned by the community, while city officials express their outrage and condolences.
As the investigation continues, the Jacksonville community grapples with the trauma of the incident. The shooter’s documented manifestos to his parents, the media, and authorities raise unsettling questions about his motivations, while his open display of racism and hatred only deepens the sense of sorrow and anger.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan expressed her dismay, telling News4JAX: “One shooting is too much but these mass shootings are really hard to take.” The incident is a stark reminder of a similar tragedy that struck the city five years ago during a video game tournament.
In response to this horrifying event, the FBI Jacksonville Field Office has initiated a Federal Civil Rights Case, acknowledging the attack as a hate crime. As the nation grapples with yet another instance of senseless violence, ReShonda Tate’s poignant account serves as a painful reminder of the lasting impact such incidents have on families and communities.