JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 4-year-old girl was killed, and two others were critically injured Tuesday in a domestic-related triple shooting on Jacksonville’s northside.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said it responded to the shooting at a home on Traci Lynn Drive in the Highlands neighborhood when officers found a 2-year-old girl, a 4-year-old girl, and their 27-year-old mother suffering from gunshot wounds just before 5 p.m.
The 4-year-old girl died from her injuries, according to JSO. The other two were taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition. They were currently undergoing surgery.
According to JSO, a domestic dispute between the woman and the father of her children led to the shooting.
At the time, there were no witnesses to help provide information that would lead to a motive. JSO also said that it has responded to past domestic dispute calls between the woman and the father.
JSO tracked down the father about 20 minutes after the shooting, and he was taken into custody.
The investigation is ongoing.
JSO’s Chief of Investigations Michael Paul acknowledged that the involvement of children, especially the death of a four-year-old, significantly impacts investigators and the neighborhood.
“It’s sad. It’s upsetting when anybody is injured, shot or hurt, but when it’s children, it’s even more so, especially when you have a child who is deceased at the scene,” Paul said. “It’s tough for investigators, and it’s tough for the neighborhood, for the neighbors who know the kids.”
If you have any information about this shooting, call 904-630-0500.