On Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida, an incident occurred where a Caucasian man, equipped with a high-powered rifle and a handgun, fatally shot three individuals of Black ethnicity at a Dollar General store.

Tragically, he subsequently turned the weapon on himself. Local law enforcement officials have characterized this disturbing event as a crime driven by racial motivations.

“This shooting was racially motivated, and he hated Black people,” Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters told a press conference, Reuters reported.

The individual, characterized by Waters as a Caucasian male donning a tactical vest, remained unnamed. Waters conveyed that the three casualties, consisting of two men and a woman, shared a Black racial background.

According to Waters, law enforcement presumed that the perpetrator carried out the attack independently.

Prior to the tragic incident, the assailant had composed “several manifestos” directed at media outlets, his parents, and law enforcement. These writings outlined his profound animosity towards Black individuals.

Waters detailed the firearms in the suspect’s possession as a Glock handgun and an “AR-15 style” rifle adorned with swastikas.

The term “AR-15 style” alludes to a lightweight semi-automatic long gun frequently associated with mass shooting incidents.

“The hate that motivated the shooter’s killing spree adds an additional layer of heartbreak,” Waters said.

Written by staff