The Gist:
A chilling wave of hate rolled over Jacksonville, Florida, this weekend. A white man targeted and killed three Black people at a Dollar General store. Authorities have made it clear: the shooter acted out of racial animosity. After his rampage, the suspect took his own life.
What Happened?
This past Saturday, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reported that a white man, decked in a tactical vest, stormed a Dollar General store in Jacksonville. Armed with a Glock handgun and an AR-15 style rifle decorated with swastikas, the assailant shot two Black men and one Black woman dead before turning the gun on himself.
Sheriff T.K. Waters of the Jacksonville police force was resolute about the motive, saying the crime was inspired by racial hatred. What’s more, he indicated that the shooter penned “several manifestos” before the horrific event, revealing his deep-rooted disdain for Black people.
Why It Matters:
In a nation that’s no stranger to gun violence, with 469 mass shootings already recorded in 2023, this crime stands out for its hateful intent.
What’s Next?
Federal investigators have launched a civil rights probe, committed to treating this as a hate crime. Both U.S. President Joe Biden and Attorney General Merrick Garland have been briefed about the case, underlining its gravity on the national stage.
The Last Word:
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis didn’t mince words when talking about the shooter. “This shooting, based on the manifesto they discovered from the scumbag that did this, was racially motivated,” DeSantis said. “He was targeting people based on their race. That is totally unacceptable.”
