JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida man accused of attempting to rob and kill a man he met online last year, is set to be back in Duval County court next week.
Jamal Moreland, 27, is accused of shooting a man he met through the dating app, Grindr, after the man refused to give Moreland money several times during a date in February 2023, according to a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office arrest report.
On Feb. 19, 2023, the victim picked up Moreland at the corner of Lemon Grass Lane and Tarragon Lane in Jacksonville, and the pair went to a bowling alley.
Shortly after, Moreland and the victim left and went to a nearby liquor store and purchased a bottle of Crown Royal.
The pair then drove back to the bowling alley parking lot to drink the alcohol before heading to a restaurant because Moreland had ordered food, the report says.
Upon arrival, Moreland asked the victim to buy his food, but the victim refused. The report says Moreland became "agitated" and started arguing with the victim.
According to the report, the victim said the date was "not going well" and took Moreland back to where he was picked up.
Moreland left, and the victim went to a nearby Circle K. The report says Moreland then texted the victim asking for $45 for a ticket he received, which the victim refused.
The report says the victim returned to the place where he dropped off Moreland, and they talked in his truck for a short time.
While in the truck, the report says, Moreland pulled out a semi-automatic handgun and demanded money from the victim.
When the victim said he didn't have any money, Moreland fired one shot striking the victim. The report says Moreland then got out of the passenger side of the truck and fired at the victim as he drove away.
The victim heard two gunshots before crashing into a ditch on Jones Road, the report says. He was taken to a hospital by first responders and learned he was shot three times, once in the chest and twice in his right arm.
The victim told investigators he met Moreland on Grindr, who used the username "GoodBig", two to three days before the shooting.
On video surveillance taken from a nearby home, investigators discovered a second man walking with the suspect, who was holding a firearm, moments after the time of the shooting. It is unclear who the man was, the report states.
Police collected several items from the victim's truck, including the bottle of Crown Royal which investigators performed a DNA test on. Lab results later determined Moreland's DNA was located on the bottle.
Investigators used surveillance video captured of the victim and Moreland in the liquor store to positively identify Moreland, who was being held in Brevard County for an unrelated crime.
JSO detectives went to interview Moreland in Brevard County Jail, where he told them he hadn't been to Jacksonville in four years.
During the interview, detectives observed the same tattoos on Moreland's hands and neck as the suspect that was captured in surveillance video obtained from the liquor store.
After collecting the victim's statements, video evidence and DNA evidence, police arrested Moreland on Feb. 15, 2024. He faces charges of attempted armed robbery and attempted murder.
Moreland is set to be arraigned in Duval County court on Thursday at 9 a.m. He is being held in Duval County Jail on a more than $1,250,000 bond.
