JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says a man in his 20s was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after he was shot multiple times while he sat in his car in traffic near the intersection of Beach Boulevard and Central Parkway on Thursday. A nearby business, Marco Opthalmic, also had "some rounds" that were fired into it in which two other unidentified victims were found inside, according to the incident report.
Police say it happened around 11:30 a.m. JSO says it has no suspect information, but it is looking for a blue car in connection with the shooting. JSO also says two vehicles had gunshot holes in them, the incident report states.
The University of North Florida sent an emergency alert notification to students at 12:16 p.m., alerting them that the shooting occurred near the campus.
The university said "multiple suspect vehicles were involved" in the shooting and the only suspect information they have at this time, is that two masked individuals were seen fleeing the area east on Beach Boulevard in a dark blue, older model Honda Hatchback. UNF also says that the Honda has gray rims and dark tinted windows as "there is no threat to the campus at this time."
JSO did not confirm which direction the blue car traveled in, saying investigators still had to canvass the area for surveillance footage.
First Coast News spoke to UNF student Jacob Rhodes a few hours after the shooting.
“I think it was 11:20, 11:30ish [and] they said there was a shooting near campus, one was injured," Rhodes said. "It was just a little worrying that it came so close."
JSO said the shooting appears to be targeted. UNF confirmed to First Coast News Friday that the unidentified man in his 20s, is not a student of theirs.