The Clay County Sheriff’s Office blocked off the Cypress Pointe Apartment Homes in Clay County’s Lakeside area for several hours after they say a man was shot there late Thursday night.
“I know there’s a lot of kids over here. I know a lot of kids that go to school, I know a lot of the kids that play sports and basketball,” said Herode Virgile, who lives nearby. “So right now I’m really kind of nervous because of the fact that the kids I train here, I’m worried about them going to school.”
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the scene began just after 10 p.m. Thursday, when neighbors at the Cypress Pointe Apartments called 911 about gunshots going off nearby.
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When deputies arrived, they found several of the victim’s friends trying to take him to the hospital, and multiple cars scattered across the complex that were supposedly involved in the incident.
Investigators said they believe the shooting began with some sort of fight between the victim and suspect that turned into shots being fired. The victim is expected to survive.
Action News Jax spoke Friday morning with the man who called 911. Although he did not want his face on camera or to be named, he recounted the moment shots rang out.
“We were sitting in the garage, we heard pop, pop, pop,” the man said emphatically. “And then we heard rustling in the breezeway. That’s why I think it happened over there. Because it was close. It sounded like a 380. Sounded like a 9mm 380, real light round.”
Now, Lakeside neighbors are calling for everyone to do their part to help curb gun violence and prevent crime from creeping into our communities.
“Anything when it comes to grown adults, you can really talk this out. It’s not that deep,” Virgile said Friday. “If you need some help, if you need guidance, there’s therapy, there’s a lot of people that’s here for help, there are a lot of resources here in Orange Park, in Clay County itself. So on that note, I honestly don’t stand for anything that comes with guns.”
Action News Jax also asked investigators if the suspect is in custody. We’re waiting to hear back.
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