JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Update: On Saturday, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office have announced that 15-year-old Devonn A. Thompson has been identified as the shooting suspect and that he is being charged with discharging a firearm on school property as well as carrying a concealed firearm.
A juvenile was taken to the hospital Friday night after police said he began firing a gun as several fights broke out after a high school football game on Jacksonville's Northside. Duval County Public School police said that football game between First Coast High and Ribault was discontinued in the 3rd quarter because of fights.
DCPS police called Jacksonville Sheriff's Office prior to the game alerting them that they were expecting a large fight at the event.
JSO and DCPS officers were out in force, police said during a late Friday news conference about the shooting in the area of Starratt and Duval Station roads.
Jacksonville officers had a car pulled over arresting two occupants for illegal firearms outside of the school when large crowds began to exit the game, police said.
Several fights broke out in the crowd when the suspect began firing a gun, police said. Officers chased the suspect into a nearby parking lot and wooded area returning fire striking him in the lower extremities and a bullet grazed his head.
Officers were able to arrest the juvenile and he was taken to the hospital for treatment, police said.
First Coast News, On Your Side talked to a student who was at the game. She said during the 2nd quarter, fights started breaking out and she saw people throwing up gang hand signs. She then heard a gunshot which was followed by 20 more gunshots.
Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney Jr. issued a statement on Saturday to First Coast News and reads as follows:
"It's unfortunate the increase in gun violent crimes around our youth during a time where sportsmanship among all is expected and exemplified," said Gaffney Jr. "I'm sadden by this because I go to high school games, this is a place where children and their families go to sit under the Friday night lights without a care in the world. Now the this experience has a shadow of violence looming over it. This can't be our family's and children's fate. I've spoken to the Mayor’s Chief of Public Safety, Lakesha Burton and I will call a meeting with JSO Zone 6, Chief Ford and DCPS Chief Burton to discuss and execute future safety plans for our high school games. It is important to me that we identify ways to keep our children and communities safe. This is a commitment we all, as adults and elected officials, owe our youth and the City of Jacksonville."