Jacksonville shooter’s father said son was off psychiatric meds in newly released 911 call – live

Police have released the 911 call made by the father of the Jacksonville gunman who murdered three Black people in a racist attack.

Ryan Palmeter killed Anolt Laguerre Jr, 19, Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29, and 52 year-old Angela Carr with a na AR-15 rifle and handgun that he had covered in Nazi swastikas.

The 62-year-old father of Palmeter can be heard telling an emergency dispatcher that his son has stopped taking his psychiatric medicine.

Earlier it was revealed tat the gunman may have originally planned to target a different store.

Surveillance footage shows the gunman arriving at a Family Dollar store at around 12.23pm on Saturday.

Dressed in a mask, he held the door open for Black customers entering and exiting and briefly entered but then left without carrying out an attack.

Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters told reporters in a press conference that the shooter, identified as 21-year-old Ryan Palmeter, then went to Edwards Waters University where he was turned away by a security guard.

He then went to the Dollar General store – around a mile from the first store – where he shot and killed three people: Angela Michelle Carr, 52, Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr, 19, and Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29.

As details emerge about the shooting, governor Ron DeSantis has come under fire in the wake of the gun violence in the state where he has loosened gun laws.

At a vigil on Sunday, the crowd booed Mr DeSantis, forcing him to step back from the microphone.

Key Points

• Gunman and three victims dead after mass shooting at Florida Dollar General store

• Chilling CCTV shows Jacksonville shooter entering store during deadly rampage

• Shooting described as ‘racially-motivated’ attack as investigators review killer’s manifestos

• Florida governor Ron DeSantis heckled at vigil for victims

How was Jacksonville shooting suspect able to buy an AR-15-style rifle?

07:00 , Ariana Baio

The gunman who shot dead three people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday was able to buy the weapons he used in the attack legally, despite once having been taken into the state’s care after suffering a mental health episode, law enforcement has said.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

How was Jacksonville shooting suspect Ryan Palmeter able to buy an AR-15-style rifle?

Could Florida’s red flag law thwarted the Jacksonville shooter?

05:00 , Ariana Baio

Police in Florida took a 15-year-old into custody six years ago for threatening to take his own life, though he was soon released following an involuntary mental health examination, according to official records.

This past weekend, that same person entered a Jacksonville Dollar General as a 21-year-old, wielding a rifle emblazoned with a swastika, and fatally shot three Black people in a racist attack. The gunman, who was white, then killed himself.

Saturday’s shooting raises questions about whether so-called red flag laws in Florida and other states are used effectively. They are designed to seize guns from those in mental health crises, or who threaten violence, before they harm someone.

Florida passed wide-ranging gun-control legislation in 2018, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, that included the red flag law.

Under the red flag provisions, law enforcement can ask a civil court to issue a risk prevention order that bars someone deemed dangerous to themselves or others from possessing guns. They also can’t buy guns while the order is in effect.

The Jacksonville gunman, Ryan Palmeter, had made racist writings discovered by his father after the shooting started. But it isn’t clear whether he earlier made the kind of open threats of violence or engaged in witnessed behaviors that should have led to action under the state’s red flag law.

Asked in an interview Monday if he thought the shooting in his city pointed to some failure of state laws, Waters said “the system did not fail, from what we can see.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

The Jacksonville shooting victims

03:00 , Ariana Baio

Three victims, Angela Michelle Carr, 52, Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr, 19, and Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29, were killed in a shooting that took place over the weekend in Jacksonville, Florida.

What we know about the Jacksonville shooting victims

VOICES: Why stormy weather this week could make or break Ron DeSantis

01:00 , Ariana Baio

“It’s no secret at this point that Ron DeSantis’s image has taken a hit since he hit his peak in November 2022 after he cruised to a nearly 20-point re-election as Florida governor in an otherwise dim year from Republicans.

But when he attended a vigil in Jacksonville, a historically Republican city that recently elected a Democratic mayor, the residents of the city were not having it and they heckled the governor.”

Eric Garcia writes:

Why stormy weather this week could make or break Ron DeSantis

Police release Jacksonville shooting 911 call from gunman’s father

Wednesday 30 August 2023 00:31 , Graeme Massie

Police have released the 911 call made by the father of the Jacksonville gunman who murdered three Black people in a racist attack.

Ryan Palmeter killed Anolt Laguerre Jr, 19, Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29, and 52 year-old Angela Carr with a na AR-15 rifle and handgun that he had covered in Nazi swastikas.

The 62-year-old father of Palmeter can be heard telling an emergency dispatcher that his son has stopped taking his psychiatric medicine.

“He left in his car a couple of hours ago,” he says, describing the Honda Element and providing the license plate. “I’m sorry, I’m a little upset,” he tells the dispatcher.

He was then asked if his son had done anything like this before.

“When he was 15, he left a note, a suicide note, and got on his bike and was headed downtown to jump off a building,” he replied.

The father called 911 at 1.53pm EST on Saturday to tell them he was concerned about his son who had left the home several hours earlier.

Officials say that his son had texted him at 1.18pm telling him to check his bedroom where he had left a will, racist writings and a suicide note. The text was sent minutes after he had opened fire in the Dollar General store.

The dispatcher asked the father if his son goes anywhere in particular.

“No, he doesn’t go anywhere,” his father replied. “He flunked out of Flagler College, moved home about a couple of years ago. Had a job for a while at Home Depot and lost that job and pretty much has been living in his room.”

“We do know he’s been receiving psychiatric help, and he’s on meds too,” he added.

”Looks like he stopped taking them,” he said after a question from the dispatcher.

Wednesday 30 August 2023 00:15 , Graeme Massie

Gunman may have targeted discount stores

Wednesday 30 August 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio

Jacksonville County sheriff TK Waters revealed in a press conference on Monday evening that detectives have discovered new information about the gunman accused of killing three people in a racially motivated shooting this past weekend.

The gunman, identified as 21-year-old Ryan Palmeter, previously worked at a similar discount store to the one he targeted.

“We have confirmed that the shooter previously worked at a Dollar Tree store from October 2021 through July 2022 in the OakLeaf area,” Mr Waters said.

The information comes as investigators discovered the gunman went to a Family Dollar store before going to a Dollar General.

“Based off what we saw him stopping at a Family Dollar, him working at a Dollar Tree previously and then him going to Dollar General, that was his intent the entire time,” Mr Waters said.

Family of Jacksonville shooting victim say they don’t want call from Biden

Tuesday 29 August 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden told reporters on Monday that he has not contacted the families of the Jacksonville shooting victims yet adding that one family said they did not want Mr Biden to contact them.

“Two of [the families] are prepared to be contacted, one does not want to be contacted,” Mr Biden said.

“I’m just letting things settle because everyone deals with profound loss in a different way and it’s important – know from experience, it’s important to try and do it in a way that is most helpful and eases the anxiety the most so I haven’t spoken to them yet,” he added.

Family of Jacksonville shooting victim say they don’t want call from Biden

Voices: Ron DeSantis didn’t listen. No wonder Jacksonville booed him

Tuesday 29 August 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio

“DeSantis, and the GOP, have created a climate where violent, racist terrorists have the means and inspiration to commit horrific acts of violence against Black people and other marginalized communities.”

“An increasingly rabid gun rights movement has been cultivated, and with it rabid racist rhetoric, because of what? A political advantage to capitalize on paranoia and hate. And when followers are fed this diet, the result is a political movement that encourages acts of racist political violence.”

Noah Berlatsky writes:

Ron DeSantis didn’t listen. No wonder Jacksonville booed him

GoFundMe launched for AJ Laguerre

Tuesday 29 August 2023 21:30 , Ariana Baio

A GoFundMe in memory of Jacksonville shooting victim, AJ Laguerre, has already raised $28k.

The fundraiser, set up by Laguerre’s sister, is intended to help the family pay for funeral costs and a memorial for the 19-year-old who was killed on Saturday.

“AJ’s life was marked by resilience and positivity, even in the face of adversity. We lost our mother on January 10, 2009, when AJ was just five years old. Despite this immense loss at such a young age, AJ remained positive and strong for all of us, supporting us through the challenging times that followed our mother’s passing,” the description for the GoFundMe reads.

Laguerre was one of five children and was primarily raised by his grandmother after his mother died, according to the GoFundMe.

“A recent graduate, AJ worked at Dollar General while also pursuing his passion for video games by streaming on the side. He had aspirations of becoming a professional streamer, a dream that was tragically cut short. AJ never had a record, never received a referral in school, and never got into a fight. He was a kind-hearted and gentle soul who loved playing video games and supporting his family and friends.”

Watch: President Biden deliver remarks on Jacksonville shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

In photos: Jacksonville residents hold rally against white supremacy

Tuesday 29 August 2023 20:30 , Ariana Baio

Timeline in Jacksonville shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 20:00 , Ariana Baio

11.39am – Gunman leaves his family’s home in Clay County and drives to Jacksonville.

12.23pm – Gunman pulls into a Family Dollar store where he went inside, seemingly unarmed, but wearing a face covering. He returns to his vehicle six minutes later.

A security vehicle pulls into the parking lot of the Family Dollar and waits there.

12.30pm – Gunman drives away from the Family Dollar store.

12.48pm- Gunman arrives at Edward Waters University and is seen putting on a tactical vest in the parking lot.

Two men spot the gunman and inform security of his suspicious nature.

A campus security officer pulls up near the gunman who then gets in his car.

12.58pm – Gunman leaves the campus and heads to Dollar General.

1.08pm – Gunman kills the first victim, Angela Michelle Carr, 52, in the parking lot of the store. He then enters the store armed with an AR-15-style rifle and Glock handgun.

In 11 minutes, the gunman fatally shot his second victim, Anolt Joseph “AJ” Laguerre Jr, 19 and third victim, Jerrald Gallion, 29,

1.18pm – Gunman texts his father to go into his room where he left a note and last will and testament.

Fox News host questions why racist shootings haven’t stopped under Biden

Tuesday 29 August 2023 19:00 , Ariana Baio

A Fox News anchor asked a question of Joe Biden: why haven’t you solved racism yet, Mr President?

On Monday, Fox News anchor John Roberts tossed around the question of why — if Joe Biden said he was going to unify Americans — a white supremacist would still carry out a racially motivated mass shooting at a dollar store in Jacksonville, Florida, according to The Daily Beast.

“He pledged to unite the country back in his inauguration speech, several times prior and after that, and yet horrific things like what happened over the weekend still happen,” Roberts said while speaking with network contributor Leo Terrell. “Where is this country at this moment?”

Graig Graziosi reports:

Fox News host questions why racist shootings haven’t stopped under Biden

Watch: Footage suggests Jacksonville gunman targeted another store before attacking Dollar General

Tuesday 29 August 2023 18:30 , Ariana Baio

Angela Michelle Carr – a victim of the Jacksonville shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 18:00 , Ariana Baio

Angela Michelle Carr, 52, was a mother and worked as an Uber driver.

On Saturday, Carr dropped off a passenger at the Dollar General store and was sitting inside her vehicle when the gunman opened fire on her.

Speaking to NBC News on Monday, Carr’s daughter Ashley Carr, 36, said: “She wasn’t meant to go that fast. She wasn’t even supposed to be there. She was shot in her car. She never even had a chance.”

Ashley remembered her mother as a “dedicated” and “hardworking” woman.

“She was a great woman, and she’s been taken. I hope her spirit is at rest,” she said.

AJ Laguerre Jr - a high school graduate and victim of the Jacksonville shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 17:30 , Ariana Baio

Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr, also known as AJ, was only 19 years old and worked at the Dollar General store when he was shot and killed by the gunman.

The youngest of five siblings, they were raised by their grandmother after their mother passed away in 2009.

AJ graduated from high school in 2022, which was a proud moment for him and his family.

While he was thinking about going to college to study cybersecurity, he took up a job at the Dollar General store just a few months ago to help his grandmother pay the bills.

In his downtime, AJ liked to play Fortnite and other videogames on Twitch, his brother said, using the gamer tag galaxysoul. His goal was to build a large online following.

“He had dreams and aspirations of being a professional streamer,” Quan Laguerre said.

“So after he would get off work, he’d just stay up until 3 or 4am in the morning just grinding, you know, trying to get that stance and have followers.”

Chilling video reveals Jacksonville gunman stopped at another discount store before Dollar General shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 17:00 , Ariana Baio

Before opening fire at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, the gunman accused of conducting a racially motivated shooting visited a different discount store and a historically Black college.

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office office said in a news conference on Monday that newly obtained security footage showed the shooter making several stops before he chose to unleash terror at a Dollar General store where he shot and killed three Black people.

One of those stops included a visit to the Family Dollar store, located just a mile and a half away from the Dollar General.

Video shows gunman at another discount store before Dollar General shooting

Watch: Interview with campus security officer who confronted gunman

Tuesday 29 August 2023 16:30 , Ariana Baio

Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion - a victim of the Jacksonville shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 16:00 , Ariana Baio

Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29, has been remembered as a devoted father, brother and grandson.

“My brother shouldn’t have lost his life,” his sister, Latiffany Gallion, said on Sunday. “A simple day of going to the store, and he’s taken away from us forever.”

As father to four-year-old daughter Je Asia, Gallion’s family said he was planning to spend the weekend with her on the weekend when he was killed.

Family members said he worked two to three jobs to try to build the best life for her.

Je Asia’s maternal grandmother Sabrina Rozier said at a press conference on Monday that Je Asia’s fifth birthday is coming up and the family was planning a big party for her.

Gallion was also looking forward to a father-daughter dance in February.

“He was so excited about it, talking about the colours they would wear,” Ms Rozier said. “Now she’s asking, ‘Who shot my daddy?’”

“From the time my daughter got pregnant ‘til yesterday, Jerrald never missed a beat,” she added of Gallion.

Ms Rozier said that the family is now trying to figure out how to tell his daughter that he “is gone” and said she does not have the “words to tell her, to break her heart”.

“This man saw fit to break my granddaughter’s heart and take her daddy away,” Ms Rozier said about the gunman.

Tyesha Jones, the mother of Gallion’s four-year-old daughter, said he was a devoted father and co-parent. Although the two were no longer together, they remained close, according to NBC News.

In a vigil held on Sunday, Ms Jones told the news outlet that Gallion was her “best friend” and added: “He was my daughter’s best friend. He got her every weekend. He was the best daddy ever.”

A high school graduate, a devoted father and hardworking mother: The Jacksonville shooting victims

Tuesday 29 August 2023 15:30 , Ariana Baio

Angela Michelle Carr, 52, was a mother and worked as an Uber driver.

Jarrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29, has been remembered as a devoted father, brother and grandson.

Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr, also known as AJ, was only 19 years old and worked at the Dollar General store when he was shot and killed by the gunman.

Faiza Saqib reports:

What we know about the Jacksonville shooting victims

Police reveal new information about the gunman

Tuesday 29 August 2023 15:00 , Ariana Baio

Jacksonville County sheriff TK Waters revealed in a press conference on Monday evening that detectives have discovered new information about the gunman accused of killing three people in a racially motivated shooting this past weekend.

The gunman, identified as 21-year-old Ryan Palmeter, previously worked at a similar discount store to the one he targeted.

“We have confirmed that the shooter previously worked at a Dollar Tree store from October 2021 through July 2022 in the OakLeaf area,” Mr Waters said.

The information comes as investigators discovered the gunman went to a Family Dollar store before going to a Dollar General.

HBCU president praises students and officer for stopping Jacksonville shooter

Tuesday 29 August 2023 14:30 , Ariana Baio

A campus security officer tipped off by observant students likely stopped the killer who fatally shot three people at a nearby Dollar General Store from carrying out his racist attack at Edward Waters University, the president of the historically Black institution said Monday.

Students reported seeing a young, white man, pull into a campus library parking lot in Jacksonville, Florida, and begin putting on tactical gear, EWU president Zachary Faison Jr said. They immediately flagged down a security officer who was on patrol to tell them what they saw.

The officer approached the car on foot when the driver — who would later be identified as the gunman — sped off, hitting a curb and narrowly avoiding a brick column, Mr Faison said. The campus officer, who the campus president called a hero, then called the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and shared the description of the vehicle.

Minutes later, the gunman made his way to a Dollar General Store down the road and killed Angela Michelle Carr, 52, an Uber driver who was shot in her car; store employee AJ Laguerre, 19, who was shot as he tried to flee; and customer Jerrald Gallion, 29, who was shot as he entered the store in the predominantly Black New Town neighborhood.

“It’s not just on a whim that he chose to come to Florida’s first historically Black college or university,” said Mr Faison, who expressed condolences to the families of the victims and confirmed none were part of the university.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ICYMI: Ron DeSantis is booed by mourners as he attends Jacksonville vigil after racist shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 14:00 , Ariana Baio

Florida governor Ron DeSantis was heckled at a vigil held for the three victims of a racially motivated mass shooting in Jacksonville.

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar reports:

Ron DeSantis booed by mourners as he attends Jacksonville vigil after racist shooting

Watch: Ron DeSantis calls Jacksonville shooter a 'scumbag' after racially motivated attack

Tuesday 29 August 2023 13:00 , Ariana Baio

Kamala Harris: The US is experiencing an ‘epidemic of hate'

Tuesday 29 August 2023 11:00 , Ariana Baio

Vice President Kamala Harris said the US is experiencing an “epidemic of hate” in response to the shooting in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Let us continue to speak truth about the moment we are in: America is experiencing an epidemic of hate. Too many communities have been torn apart by hatred and violent extremism,” Ms Harris said.

“Too many families have lost children, parents, and grandparents. Too many Black Americans live every day with the fear that they will be victims of hate-fueled gun violence—at school, at work, at their place of worship, at the grocery store. Every person in every community in America should have the freedom to live safe from gun violence. And Congress must help secure that freedom by banning assault weapons and passing other commonsense gun safety legislation,” Harris said in her statement.”

Everything we know about the Florida Dollar General Shooting

Tuesday 29 August 2023 10:00 , Ariana Baio

“This is a dark day in Jacksonville’s history. There is no place for hate in this community,” the sheriff said. “I am sickened by this cowardly shooter’s personal ideology.”

Kelly Rissman reports:

Everything we know about the Florida Dollar General Shooting

Victims’ family snub call for Biden

Tuesday 29 August 2023 09:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden told reporters on Monday that he has not contacted the families of the Jacksonville shooting victims yet adding that one family said they did not want Mr Biden to contact them.

The president said he spoke with leaders in Jacksonville and the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, about the shooting and asked if it was appropriate for him to speak to the families of victims.

Mr Biden said he had not reached out to victims’ families just yet, adding that one family declined to speak with him.

“Two of [the families] are prepared to be contacted, one does not want to be contacted,” Mr Biden said.

“I’m just letting things settle because everyone deals with profound loss in a different way and it’s important – know from experience, it’s important to try and do it in a way that is most helpful and eases the anxiety the most so I haven’t spoken to them yet,” he added.

Anolt "AJ" Laguerre Jr, 19, Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, 29, and Angela Michelle Carr, 52, were all killed in the tragedy after a white gunman opened fire in front and inside of the store with the intention of killing Black people.

Jacksonville killings refocus attention on the city’s racist past and the struggle to move on

Tuesday 29 August 2023 07:00 , Ariana Baio

Jacksonville is home to nearly one million people, about a third of them Black, just south of Florida’s border with Georgia. The city is still coming to terms with its Southern heritage while trying to become more cosmopolitan in the shadows of the state’s other major cities: Miami, celebrated for glitzy nightlife and inviting beaches, and Orlando, home to the world-renowned Disney World and Universal theme parks.

In recent years there were signs Jacksonville was changing, and it might still be.

Jacksonville elected its first Black mayor in 2011. A couple years later, there was another watershed moment when a coalition of activists succeeded in persuading the school board, after years of failed attempts, to rename a high school honoring Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate general and the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.

Since then, the city has continued to sever ties to the racist past by removing a Confederate soldier statue atop a memorial in a park bordering City Hall. The excision was finalized by Jacksonville’s former mayor, a Republican who once served as his party’s statewide chair.

Donald Trump took Duval County in the 2016 presidential election. Two years later, a Black Democratic candidate running for governor, Andrew Gillum, won the county but narrowly lost statewide to now-Gov. Ron Desantis.

“It feels some days like we’re going backward,” Deegan said through tears Sunday while addressing a congregation at St. Paul AME Church, 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) from the site of the shooting.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

ICYMI: Florida shooting latest as police reveal attack was ‘racially motivated’ and gunman ‘hated black people’

Tuesday 29 August 2023 05:00 , Ariana Baio

A shooting in Florida that killed three people was “racially motivated” and the shooter “hated black people”, police have confirmed.

Two men and one woman were shot dead in a Dollar General store in Jacksonville by a man in his early 20s.

Jacksonville’s sheriff said the suspect, an unidentified white man in his 20s, “targeted black people” in the shooting before killing himself.

“Plainly put, this shooting was racially motivated and he hated black people,” Sheriff T K Waters said at a news conference.

Sheriff Waters said the gunman used a Glock handgun and an AR-15 style rifle emblazoned with swastikas during his killing spree which occurred shortly before 2pm local time.

Mike Pence offers solution to mass shootings: ‘Expedited death penalty’

Tuesday 29 August 2023 03:00 , Ariana Baio

America’s mass shooting crisis, in numbers

Tuesday 29 August 2023 01:00 , Ariana Baio

At least 346 mass shootings were recorded within the first six months of 2023 and through the July 4 weekend, a rate of at least one every day, and outpacing the rates of mass shootings at similar points in the calendar in previous years.

Alex Woodward reports:

America’s mass shooting crisis, in numbers

Biden says he has not reached out to victims’ families yet

Tuesday 29 August 2023 00:00 , Ariana Baio

President Joe Biden said he has spoken with local officials in Jacksonville, Florida, as well as governor Ron DeSantis, to see if the families of victims want to be contacted.

“Two of them are prepared to be contacted, one does not want to be contacted,” Mr Biden said on Monday while meeting with organisers of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington.

“I’m letting this – just let things settle because everyone deals with profound loss in a different way and it’s important, I know from experience, it’s important to try and do it in a way that is most helpful and eases the anxiety the most so I haven’t spoken to them yet,” Mr Biden said.

Daughter of victim retains attorney Ben Crump

Monday 28 August 2023 23:00 , Ariana Baio

The daughter of a Jacksonville shooting victim has put civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump on retainer, a press release from Mr Crump said.

Armisha Payne, the daughter of 52-year-old Angela Carr, will join Mr Crump in a press conference to speak more about retaining Mr Crump.

In a statement regarding the shooting, Mr Crump said: “Hate is toxic, destructive and deadly. Three families and an entire community are facing the devastating impacts of hate without bounds. Children are now without their loving parents and these families will never be whole again. This senseless and violent act is the latest in a long series of reminders that words drive ideology which give rise to actions, unspeakable actions — and we all pay the price.”

Shooting occurred on anniversary of March on Washington

Monday 28 August 2023 22:00 , Ariana Baio

The shooting in Jacksonville, Florida came on the same day of the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

While the shooting unfolded, thousands were visiting Washington DC to attend Reverand Al Sharpton’s commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Rudolph McKissick, a national board member of Sharpton’s National Action Network, was not in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Yet his thoughts on the shooting touched on issues raised by the civil rights leader.

“The irony is on the day we celebrate the 60th commemoration of the March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King stood up and talked about a dream for racial equality and for love, we still yet live in a country where that dream is not a reality,” McKissick said. “That dream has now been replaced by bigotry.”

What we know about the racist 21-year-old Dollar General shooter

Monday 28 August 2023 21:30 , Ariana Baio

The gunman who shot dead three people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday afternoon in a racially motivated attack has been named as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter.

Palmeter is believed to have left the home he shared with his parents in suburban Clay County around 11.40am on Saturday, arriving in his grey Honda Element first at the campus of Edward Waters University (EWU), a historically Black college, about an hour later, only to be turned away by a security guard when he refused to identify himself.

“The individual returned to their car and left campus without incident. The encounter was reported to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office by EWU security,” the school said in a subsequent press release.

Just before the massacre was carried out at the nearby Dollar General branch, Palmeter texted his father advising him to look at his personal computer, on which the suspect’s parents duly found “several manifestos” intended to explain his actions, which Sheriff Waters characterised as “the diary of a madman” during Sunday’s press conference.

Palmeter’s father had called the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at around 2pm to report the manifestos but by then it was already too late.

Palmeter’s writings, which included a will and a note declaring his intention to end his life, are now being examined by investigators.

Jacksonville councilwoman defends DeSantis after booing

Monday 28 August 2023 21:00 , Ariana Baio

When Florida governor Ron DeSantis was booed during a vigil for the victims of the mass shooting that occurred over the weekend, Jacksonville councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman stood up for him.

“I wanted the audience to calm down because I wanted him to sit down and I wanted it to be the vent that was for the residents and the community had come together for unity,” Ms Pittman told CNN on Monday.

Ms Pittman became subject to criticism as many felt Mr DeSantis’ appearance was purely political and he deserved to be booed since he has supported loosening gun laws in the state.

But Ms Pittman says her act of defending Mr DeSantis was purely to allow the community and victims’ families to come together and leave Mr DeSantis’ politics out of it.

“That vigil was not about the governor and I will say I do not support any of the stances or policies that the governor have implemented.”

“It was about focusing on the families that was there and the hatred that had come to their community,” Ms Pittman said.

Watch: Ron DeSantis booed by mourners at Jacksonville vigil after racist shooting

Monday 28 August 2023 20:30 , Ariana Baio

Harrowing video shows Jacksonville shooter launching rampage at Dollar General

Monday 28 August 2023 20:00 , Ariana Baio

Police in Jacksonville, Florida have released the chilling footage that shows the gunman who carried out a mass shooting at a Dollar General store entering the building and opening fire.

The video, captured on CCTV cameras, shows the suspect armed with an AR-15-style rifle standing outside of the store where he aimed his firearm at the windshield of a car and began firing rounds.

Harrowing video shows Jacksonville shooter launching rampage at Dollar General

How the Jacksonville shooting suspect was able to buy an AR-15-style rifle

Monday 28 August 2023 19:30 , Ariana Baio

The alleged gunman who shot dead three people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday was able to buy the weapons he used in the attack legally, despite once having been taken into the state’s care after suffering a mental health episode, law enforcement has said.

“In this situation, there was nothing illegal about him owning the firearms,” Sheriff TK Waters said, stressing that the weapons had not belonged to the suspect’s parents, who had refused to allow him to keep firearms in their home.

A photo shared on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Facebook page over the weekend showed a close-up of one of the guns with at least two swastikas marked on it.

The AR-15-style weapon had “Palmetto State Armory” and “PA-15” engraved on it, with the manufacturer’s website describing the PA-15 model as “our interpretation of the legendary AR-15 rifle that you have grown to love”.

While the gunman had no criminal record, he was previously involved in a 2016 domestic incident involving his brother James – who is reportedly now serving a jail sentence for armed robbery – but was not arrested, the sheriff said.

More significantly, he was also held in state custody in 2017 under Florida’s Baker Act, a statute that allows for people to be “taken to a receiving facility for involuntary examination” for up to 72 hours if they are considered a danger to themselves or others during a mental health crisis.

Speaking to CNN later on Sunday, Sheriff Waters explained: “If there is a Baker Act situation, they’re prohibited from getting guns.”

Asked why, in that case, the guman had been able to buy them, the sheriff said: “We don’t know if that Baker Act was recorded properly, whether it was considered a full Baker Act.”

The investigation is ongoing but the sheriff’s words appear to outline two possible scenarios – administrative error or a favourable ruling on the gunman’s wellbeing – that might explain why he was allowed to purchase the weapons after having been flagged as a cause for concern and taken in for examination by medical professionals under the Act.

White House condemns Jacksonville shooting

Monday 28 August 2023 19:00 , Ariana Baio

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre condemned the shooting in Jacksonville, Florida that occurred on the same day as the anniversary of the March on Washington and Martin Luther King Jr’s I Have a Dream speech.

“Sadly, this day of remembrance ended with yet more American communities wounded by an act of gun violence,” Ms Jean-Pierre said on Monday afternoon.

“We must say clearly and forcefully that white supremacy has no place in America.”

The gunman who opened fire left several notes behind indicating his dislike for Black people and that the shooting was conducted to intentionally target Black people.

“Hate must have no safe harbour, silence is complicity, and we must not remain silent,” Ms Jean-Pierre added before advocating for gun control.

VOICES: Ron DeSantis didn’t listen. No wonder Jacksonville booed him

Monday 28 August 2023 18:30 , Ariana Baio

“Angie Nixon responded to the community’s anger, saying “at the end of the day, the governor has blood on his hands.”

Nixon is right. DeSantis, and the GOP, have created a climate where violent, racist terrorists have the means and inspiration to commit horrific acts of violence against Black people and other marginalized communities. An increasingly rabid gun rights movement has been cultivated, and with it rabid racist rhetoric, because of what?

A political advantage to capitalize on paranoia and hate. And when followers are fed this diet, the result is a political movement that encourages acts of racist political violence.”

Noah Berlatsky writes:

Ron DeSantis didn’t listen. No wonder Jacksonville booed him

Watch: Jacksonville shooter seen entering Florida store during racially motivated attack

Monday 28 August 2023 18:00 , Ariana Baio

How was Jacksonville shooting suspect able to buy an AR-15-style rifle?

Monday 28 August 2023 17:30 , Ariana Baio

The alleged gunman who shot dead three people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday was able to buy the weapons he used in the attack legally, despite once having been taken into the state’s care after suffering a mental health episode, law enforcement has said.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

How was Jacksonville shooting suspect Ryan Palmeter able to buy an AR-15-style rifle?

Jacksonville father among the victims

Monday 28 August 2023 17:00 , Ariana Baio

Jerrald Gallion, a devoted father and member of the Jacksonville community, is among the victims who were killed in a racially motivated shooting this past weekend.

Gallion, 29, was the father to a four-year-old daughter before he was shot and killed by the gunman at the Dollar General on Saturday.

His family described him as hardworking and devoted to co-parenting his daughter.

“He never missed a beat,” Sabrina Rozier, the maternal grandmother to Gallion’s daughter told The Associated Press. “He got her every weekend. As a matter of fact, he was supposed to have her (Saturday).”

Vice President Harris releases statement on Jacksonville shooting

Monday 28 August 2023 16:30 , Ariana Baio

On X, formerly known as Twitter, vice president Kamala Harris wrote: ”I am heartbroken by yesterday’s shooting in Jacksonville. This act was reportedly driven by racism and hatred, carried out with a weapon of war that should never have been on the streets. These tragedies must stop. We must renew the ban on assault weapons. It is long overdue.”

Gunman went to a historically Black college before conducting shooting

Monday 28 August 2023 16:00 , Ariana Baio

The gunman who carried out the shooting at a Dollar General in Jacksonville, Florida first went to Edward Waters University, authorities said.

The gunman, identified as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter, left his parents’ home in Clay County around 11.40am on Saturday and went to the campus of the historically Black college.

Authorities said it is unclear why he went to the college but when he arrived he refused to identify himself to a security guard and was told to leave.

“The individual returned to their car and left campus without incident. The encounter was reported to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office by EWU security,” the school said in a press release.

What we know about the racist 21-year-old Dollar General shooter

Monday 28 August 2023 15:30 , Ariana Baio

The gunman who shot dead three people at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday afternoon in a racially motivated attack has been named as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter.

Armed with an AR 15-style rifle and Glock handgun and sporting a tactical vest and face mask, the shooter fired 11 rounds into a car in the store’s parking lot – killing his first victim – shortly after 1pm on Saturday before entering the Dollar General in the city’s New Town neighbourhood, allowing some shoppers to leave before opening fire on those who remained, finally turning his gun on himself.

Joe Sommerlad reports:

Who is Ryan Palmeter? What we know about racist Dollar General shooter

Hours after deadly shooting, NRA posts pro-gun ad

Monday 28 August 2023 15:00 , Ariana Baio

Just hours after a gunman opened fire in a Dollar General, killing three people, the National Rifle Association (NRA) posted a pro-gun photo on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The post took a quote by President Joe Biden saying “Nobody needs an AR-15” and claimed that most Americans “disagree” with this.

“Americans vehemently disagree with Joe on this. Millions of law-abiding citizens own and use AR-15s to defend themselves and their families,” the NRA wrote.

Gun activists criticised the organisation for posting the pro-gun ad just hours after the gunman in Jacksonville used an AR-15-style rifle.

Fred Guttenberg, a gun-control activist, responded: “No entity has worked harder than the NRA to fuel gun violence in America. The American Carnage on our streets is because of them. More guns are not making us safer.”

Florida rep calls out ‘anti-woke’ Ron DeSantis for condemning Jacksonville

Monday 28 August 2023 14:30 , Ariana Baio

Florida state representative Angie Nixon said she was upset over governor Ron DeSantis’ statement regarding the Jacksonville shooting because she believes it was hypocritical of his actions.

“At the end of the day, the governor has blood on his hands. He has had an all-out attack on the Black community with his anti-woke policies which we know was nothing more than a dog whistle to get folks up and riled up in the way in which it just happened yesterday,” Ms Nixon said to MSNBC

“Throughout the past few legislative sessions, we [Nixon and other Black representatives] have repeatedly told him what his rhetoric was going to do and that is exactly what has transpired on yesterday.”