Police are charging Dontay Taylor with murder after he allegedly shot his girlfriend’s father during a domestic dispute in Jacksonville.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A 24-year-old Jacksonville man has been charged with murder after police say he shot his girlfriend’s father during a domestic dispute last month. While the victim initially lived, he died last Wednesday, leading to upgraded charges.
On August 7, officers responded to a shooting on Ahmad Drive near West 45th Street, where they found 50-year-old Derrick Griffin with multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and leg, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Investigators believe Griffin was trying to break up a fight between his daughter and her boyfriend, identified as Dontay Taylor, when Taylor opened fire.
The shooting began outside the home and continued inside, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Griffin was rushed to the hospital by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue and initially survived, but remained in critical condition.
JSO said Taylor fled the scene on foot, but with the help of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, he was arrested on August 25 and charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
On September 7, Griffin died from his injuries. After reviewing the case, the State Attorney’s Office approved an upgraded murder charge against Taylor.
Taylor, who was already being held in the Duval County Jail, was served with the additional warrant for murder. He remains in custody.