JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The estate of one of the victims of August's racially motivated shooting at a Dollar General that left three dead is planning on suing multiple agencies by the end of the year, according to lawyers retained by the family.
A 21-year-old man killed three Black people in a racially motivated shooting at a Kings Road Dollar General in August, prompting national attention. Carr, 52, was the first person killed in the Dollar General parking lot when the shooter fled nearby Edward Waters University. The other victims were 19-year-old Anotl Joseph Iaguerre Jr. and 29-year-old Jerrald De'Shaun Gallion.
Attorney John Phillips says they are planning on suing the family of the shooter for information and damages and Dollar General for negligence and lack of security. The details about the future lawsuits were included in a letter from law firm Phillips & Hunt was sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Mayor Donna Deegan, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters President Randy Wyse and Dollar General Corp. CEO Todd Vasos among others. The letter also demands documentation for local fundraising efforts and evidence related to the crime.
The letter asked for bank statements, donations, expenses, and communications regarding donations to jfrd.com., the website promoted at a vigil held for victims the day after the shooting. The donation page is no longer active. Phillips says the Carr family didn't keep a count of who donated over the last three months and says no accounting information from the city has been provided to the families.
"Money was distributed to at least one family, that's good. The problem is, what is that a portion of? How much was raised and how much was distributed and to whom?" Attorney John Phillips said. "We're not saying the fireman lied. I know Randy Wyss, I know the union, they do great work. But, its just we need accounting and transparency."
Each family had set up GoFundMe accounts and the letter states the charity began "immediately substituting their own fundraiser within 12-18 hours of the tragedy and deprived the Carr family from being able to promote their own fundraising campaigns.
The letter names Jacksonville councilmember Ju'Coby Pittman, Council President Ron Salem, Mayor Donna Deegan and Governor Ron DeSantis. First Coast News reached out to each Wednesday but did not hear back.
"Most of those people on that letter I've been friends with. I've kind of grown up with in this town and it's not personal but we've got to stop exploiting victims and when we say we're going to help, as leaders, as legislatures, but leaders we have to offer help and when we say we fundraise we have to show our math," Phillips said.
The vehicle Carr was shot in was not preserved because the insurance company or owner received no request from their prior lawyers that they are supposed to, the letter states.
"They made promises, which seem broken. They set up a 'charity' fund, which was not 'charity,' which lacked accounting and transparency and, frankly, interfered with the victims’ own ability to fundraise. And since, that fund has been shut down with limited understanding and even less accountability," the letter said.
The letter also relayed requests from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for records pertaining to the murder investigation.
"I'm tired of being told no or not now and that it's an open and active investigation when there can be no arrests of the murderer, he's dead. To deny us copy of medical examiners reports, police investigations, body cameras, photos of the shot up vehicle, there's no reason to deny that," Phillips said.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesperson said currently available information related to this case has been released, including the general offense report and surveillance video of the suspect’s movements prior to and during the incident.
"As Sheriff Waters has previously stated, as this continues to be an active criminal investigation, portions of it are not readily available as a public record. However, as soon as the investigation has been completed all applicable documents, including the 'Manifesto,' will be made available as a public record, and released," Officer Allyn Kelly said.
"I understand the manifesto is a sensitive document, that is different but I need to investigate some of the language on this gun," Phillips said.
Phillips says he is looking out for the Carr family. "It is extremely important that people understand this isn't about just what happened in Jacksonville because that gun, those markings, that manifesto, all of that has happened, again and again and again in this country and we have to learn how these guys are communicating, how they are getting empowered, where their racial ideology is coming from, this isn't just the parents. We have to understand that we have to get to this at the root level, otherwise it is going to keep happening."
The family is directing people to its own GoFundMe, according to the letter.