JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — At least two vehicles, a business and a home were struck when an exchange of gunfire erupted on Beach Boulevard Monday morning, a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office report revealed.
Around 7:30 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of Beach Boulevard and San Pablo Road after reports of a battery involving the discharge of a firearm.
Various witnesses told police a black pickup truck had fired multiple shots toward a gray sports car that had pulled off to the shoulder of Beach Boulevard, the report states.
The suspect vehicle was described by witnesses as a newer black Dodge Ram model with a large lift kit and large tires that protruded out the side. One witness said she saw two men in the truck and described the driver as between the ages of 30 and 40. A description of the passenger was not provided.
Witnesses indicated the sports car was "driving recklessly" down the roadway at the time of the shooting. Witnesses said the driver had gotten out of the vehicle and started returning fire at the truck which continued eastbound on Beach Boulevard, according to the report.
A responding officer located the man driving the gray sports car, who police listed as a victim of the crime. When police approached, he was holding a cell phone and a firearm. The man complied with the officer and was taken into custody without incident. First Coast News is not identifying him because he is not charged with a crime at this time.
The man told police he was staying at a nearby Airbnb and left the house around 7 a.m. and noticed a black or gray Dodge Ram down the street. He said the driver of the truck tried to hit his vehicle, so he sped off. He claimed the occupants inside the truck started firing at him while they were on Aldrige Mall near a stop sign at Beach Boulevard.
The report states when he began driving eastbound on Beach Boulevard, he said more shots started coming from the truck.
He said he returned fire at the truck, which caused him to crash his vehicle into a curb and over the sidewalk near the 14100 block of Beach Boulevard. The man told officers the suspects in the truck slowed down and continued shooting at him. He said he fired back before getting out of his vehicle and fleeing behind a nearby shopping plaza, where he was later detained.
Police found several bullet holes throughout the man's entire vehicle.
The shooting also prompted a multi-vehicle crash on the roadway.
Drivers told police the crash happened due to the shooting, and the vehicles involved had to hit their brakes to avoid getting hit by gunfire, which caused the crash. None of the vehicles had been struck by gunfire.
However, other drivers said their vehicles were impacted by gunfire.
The report states the back bumper of a woman's vehicle was hit by a bullet. Another woman said there was damage to her passenger side door from bullet fragments. A nearby business and residence also reported walls struck by bullets after the shooting.
The report lists two suspects as outstanding. Anyone with information on this incident can call JSO's non-emergency number at (904) 630-0500.
