Three people, including a three-year-old child, died in a shooting incident at an apartment complex in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday, September 24, 2023. 

Authorities believe that the incident might have stemmed from a disagreement over a dog sale.

Around 10:00 p.m., police responded to a call about gunshots at an apartment in the 8800 block of A C Skinner Parkway in Jacksonville. 

Speaking at a news conference, Assistant Chief J.D. Stronko revealed that five people had come to the apartment, possibly with the intent of selling a dog. During their time there, a disagreement arose, leading to four out of the five people being shot. Of these, three did not survive, including the young child.

While one of the adult victims was not identified, the other two were reportedly in their 20s. 

The identities of the perpetrators have not yet been established. However, witnesses mentioned seeing two males departing from the scene, possibly in a black sedan.

A local media identified the child as Kae’lynn Marie Matthews. Matthews’ grandmother spoke to the media, sharing that her granddaughter loved school and playing hide and seek, and confirmed that Matthews did not reside at the apartment complex.

Rachel, a resident of the apartment complex, shared her account with a news outlet. She recalled hearing several gunshots and then screams. She expressed her surprise, mentioning that while one hears about such incidents in Jacksonville, it’s unexpected when it’s so close to home. “My thoughts are with the families,” Rachel said.