JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville grandmother, who was shot and killed at a block party last week, reported to police that her home had been vandalized a month before she was murdered, according to the incident report.
The redacted report obtained by News4JAX on Thursday shows that Cassandra Brown, 66, called police on May 10 to report that the front of her house was vandalized the day before while she was not home.
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“She had chairs thrown all over the lawn, her trash bin was emptied and scattered all over he front porch area, and her car tires were deflated,” the incident report states.
Brown was shot in the head while sitting in a chair on the sidewalk on Grothe Street during a Friday night block party where more than 100 people were gathered.
On Tuesday, News4JAX spoke with Brown’s son, Calvin Brown, who said he believes his “mom was not a random murder.” Brown said he said he thinks the murder was retaliation because his mom had testified in the trial of a 57-year-old woman who shot a man last year.
Brown also said that his mom had feared for her life for weeks.
“This individual came to my mama’s front door. This is the individual who said threats from the jailhouse that he was going to kill my mama and the other lady who witnessed it,” Calvin Brown said.
According to Brown, his mother called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office each time there was an issue with the individual.
The May 10 incident report does not show any arrests made in connection with Brown’s report. However, there is a related offense of “tampering with witness, victim or informant in a first-degree felony proceeding” under the suspect’s section of the report.
Brown said he spoke to his mother about staying away from the area after he learned of the altercations after her testimony, but he said his mom was strong-willed and happy.
“She said, ‘Baby, ain’t nobody going to tell me how I’m supposed to live my life, where I’m supposed to go, or where I’m supposed to be at’ and my mom has been that way her whole, entire life,” he said.
News4JAX Crime and Safety Analyst Tom Hackney said the incident report raises two questions.
- Since no one is listed as the suspect, is this incident now part of the death investigation?
- What advice did police give Brown after the home was vandalized, if tampering with a witness is listed as an offense?
“When you look at that report it seems simple. It seems like they spilled some trash they knocked over some chairs and let air out of a tire. But you really sit back and think of what they’re doing to send a message. And the message is, ’I know who you are, I know what you did and you shouldn’t continue along with what you’re doing,’” Hackney said.
News4JAX reached out police asking questions about this incident report and if Brown was given any advice after her home was vandalized. At the time of this report, we hadn’t heard back.
Hackney said that when a witness to a crime ends up dead after testifying, and having her home vandalized, it “undermines our entire justice system” and “should be shocking to everyone.”
“It’s extremely frightening,” Hackney said.
No arrests have been made in Cassandra Brown’s shooting death.
The State Attorney’s Office and JSO said the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to call JSO at 904-630-0500, email JSOCRIMETIPS@jaxsheriff.org, or contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
Brown’s family has launched an online fundraiser to support her funeral.