JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A heated town meeting Thursday evening in Grand Park turned into a community outrage after the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office showed the community a music video that featured guns filmed in the neighborhood.
The meeting was held due to several shootings that have occurred near Grand Park. The most recent shooting near this area was a drive-by shooting Wednesday evening.
Assistant Chief and Zone 5 commander, Tony Davis, opened the meeting by informing the public that he has appointed an officer specifically to Grand Park. After his announcement, he showed a video obtained from YouTube called "Let's Go Slide" that left the community stunned and angry.
"Where do you think the problem is in this community? Everything emanates from home. It all goes back to home. I don't care where you look at it. You look at the homes and the kids -- some of the home situations are depressing. Not saying that's the case across the board but it starts at home," said Davis.
About 50 community members attended and offered input to officers on how they can help cut down on the violence.
"It was like, 'Oh my God.' I was in shock especially with the guns and the young people, and my heart is like really bleeding. It's going out to them. It's like this is not the way. This is not acceptable," said Tamika Jackson.
After many of the community voiced their opinions, JSO asked them to remain angry -- not angry in a bad way, but to remain riled up about crime every day and not just when someone is killed.
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Davis also asked parents to do more with their children and to feel comfortable contacting police.
"We really have failed these young people as a society. This is not a JSO issue. This is not a neighborhood issue. It's an everybody issue," said Jackson. "We have to come together and pull together and have some intervention with these kids because if we don't then there's going to be more bloodshed."