JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The Jacksonville Beach Police Department said a man was shot to death at the intersection of 4th Street North and 6th Avenue North early Saturday morning.
Family members said Robert McMahon, 37, was the victim. A loved one told First Coast News he was a surfer nicknamed "Punch" who attended Fletcher High School and Atlantic Beach Elementary School.
Police said they received a 911 call about the shooting at 1:05 a.m. Saturday morning and arrived one minute later. They said the victim was taken to the hospital where he died.
Police said a witness told them two men were chasing a man heading away from the beach on 6th Avenue North then shot him by the intersection at 4th Street North. Police say the suspects ran away down 4th Street heading south, which is the direction towards the parking lot for Church of Christ of Jax Beach.
A neighbor said she was woken up by gunshots.
“It’s kind of scary, especially outside my front door,” said Ashley Suggs.
Down the street from where McMahon's family was searching for surveillance video, Cheryl Miller and her husband checked their surveillance video from overnight.
“It breaks my heart that this family lost their son,” Miller said.
With the Fourth of July days away, Miller and Suggs are thinking about safety. They both brought up the three shootings on St. Patrick’s Day. There was also a shooting nearby on Memorial Day weekend.
“Unfortunately since the St. Paddy’s Day incident, I was out whenever that happened," Suggs said. "So Memorial Day I was not in Jacksonville and I don’t plan to be in Jacksonville for 4th of July, which is scary as a local that I can’t even enjoy the area on a holiday.”
Police say they will be at maximum staffing for the Fourth of July and working with other law enforcement agencies. They urge everyone to check their home surveillance cameras.
If you know anything about this case, call the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-270-1661.
A witness said two men chased the victim west on 6th Avenue North just past the intersection of 4th Street North and then shot the victim. According to the witness, the suspects fled the scene running south on 4th Street North, JBPD said.
There is no known threat to the public, police said.
Victim information is currently pending notification of the victim's next of kin. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Jacksonville Beach Police Department at 904-270-1661.