13-year-old Florida boy killed, 2 hurt in drive-by shooting while heading home from football tryouts: sheriff

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 13-year-old Florida boy is dead, and two others are hurt after they were shot multiple times while they were driving home from football tryouts at a nearby community center, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

Police said they received a call about the shooting shortly after 6:20 p.m. Saturday. 

Officers said the victims had just left the Legends Center on Soutel Drive and were stopped at the intersection of Moncrief Road West and US-1 when someone shot into their red SUV numerous times. 

Inside the SUV, authorities found five victims: the 20-year-old driver, who is believed to be one of the football coaches, and four boys ages 11, 13, 14 and 15. 

The 13-year-old who had been shot multiple times died of his injuries. The coach was taken to a local hospital and is reportedly in critical condition.

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Police said the 11-year-old boy who had also been shot was taken to the hospital where his condition was reported as “stable.” The two other boys were not hurt in the incident. 

It’s unclear if the victims were relatives or friends. 

 At this time, investigators don’t have a description of the suspect vehicle but are interviewing potential witnesses and listening to 911 calls.

“To indiscriminately drive by a vehicle and fire shots into it, not knowing who’s inside of the vehicle, is uncalled for,” newly sworn-in Sheriff T.K. Waters said during a news conference. 

Detectives are working to learn if it was a targeted shooting.

“I ask the community this – can we please stand together? Can we please fight this problem we are having in our community? Because it is very frustrating, should not happen, and we lost a 13-year-old kid tonight. Just going home from football, going home from football practice,” Waters added. 

Anyone with information is asked to call JSO’s non-emergency line or Crime Stoppers.