DUVAL COUNTY, Fla — Neighbors are reacting after a teenage boy was shot walking in his neighborhood Wednesday in Argyle Forest.
Police are searching for two suspects. The teenager is expected to be okay, but parents at Lindsey Terrace Apartments said they worry for their own children’s safety.
One mother told First Coast News she keeps her children indoors and doesn’t want them to play outside because she feels the neighborhood isn’t safe.
Police said the teenager who was shot told them he doesn’t know the people who shot him. They said he was walking in the morning when two people shot at him multiple times and one bullet went through his shoulder.
“I’m trying not to cry," said Magan Maye, a mother who lives in the apartment complex. "I didn't know he was a teen. I didn't know he was a teen. Oh my God.”
Mayes has a teenage son and three other children. Maye said in the month she’s lived there, her car has gotten broken into. She also said she witnessed police activity a few days ago.
"I do not let them hang out in this neighborhood," she said. "So most people don't even know I have four kids because I keep them in the house."
She says teenagers should not be exposed to this kind of violence. "He was a baby," she said. "And they're already experiencing things that they should not have - no one, even if you're adult, they should not be experiencing getting shot. But it's just scary knowing that there are these young babies out here.”
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Crime Map shows multiple incidents of vehicle break-ins earlier this month. The map also shows drug cases nearby on Youngerman Circle earlier this month.
“I pray that he has a speedy recovery and I pray that his mom has the strength to get through what she's going through at the moment," said Maye. "Because this is a lot and she's gonna need all the support and love that she can get right now. And as a mother, I hope that she can get the clarity of what happened to her son because this is just ridiculous and I hope someone can speak up [about] what happened to this young man because it's just sad.”
First Coat News called and emailed the apartment complex but were told over the phone they were not interested in giving a comment or answering questions.
Police are asking for your help to find the people who shot the teenager. Call 904-630-0500, email at jsocrimetips@jaxsheriff.org or reach out to First Coast Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.