Who was Kae’lynn Marie Matthews? Florida girl, 3, two others shot dead over the possible sale of a dog
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: A deadly shootout at an apartment complex in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, September 23, has claimed the lives of three people, including a three-year-old toddler, apparently over the possible sale of a dog, authorities said.
During a news conference on Sunday, September 24, Assistant Chief JD Stronko said that officers were called to the apartments after complaints of gunfire in the 8800 block of A C Skinner Parkway at around 10 pm.
What did the authorities discover upon arrival?
After the officers arrived at the scene, the authorities discovered five victims, among which four were adults and a child, who “traveled to the apartments, possibly to conduct the private sale of a dog,” Stronko said.
“For reasons that are unknown to us at this time, a dispute ensued in a breezeway between two of the apartment buildings, resulting in four of the five individuals being shot,” he added.
“Of the individuals shot, three are now deceased. That includes the 3-year-old child who traveled there with them,” he continued.
Have the victims been identified?
One of the adult victims have not been identified and the two were reportedly in their 20s. Stronko did not disclose the details of the condition of the wounded individual.
Citing Marsy’s Law, Stronko did not release the relationship between the victims. He went on to say “suspect information is limited at this time,” but witnesses described two Black males leaving the scene, “possibly in a black Sedan.”
According to CBS 47, the toddler was Kae’lynn Marie Matthews. Her grandmother told the outlet that Matthews loved school and her favorite game was hide and seek.
She also noted that the toddler did not live at the apartment complex where the shooting took place.
Residents in the area speak on the incident
Rachel, a neighbor at the apartment complex, told News 4 Jax she “was laying in bed and heard the pop, pop, pop. It was five or six gunshots, and I heard screaming.”
“I was petrified for them,” she said. “I really don’t expect this to happen. You hear about gunshots, especially around Jacksonville but you don’t assume it’s going to happen in your backyard, especially in a safe neighborhood.”
“My prayers go out to the families,” Rachel told the outlet, adding “It’s really sad.”
Ola Segngal, another resident in the area, emphasized that such incidents were unusual for the neighborhood. “We need to do better, we all need to do better. No matter where you live, it can happen right next to you,” Seggnal stated.