JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man was arrested and accused Saturday of shooting another man who was searching through a neighbor’s discarded furniture for use in a bonfire, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said.
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The victim, recovering in the hospital, told JSO that he was collecting discarded furniture from his neighbor’s trash for a bonfire when a woman and the suspect were standing on their porch yelling at him to get off their property, the arrest report said.
He said they “aggressively approached” him and he admitted to pushing the woman because he thought she was about to attack him.
The victim said he heard a gunshot and fell to the ground after being struck. He gave a video to JSO that showed part of the altercation. The police report said the victim was standing on the easement of the property, closer to the street and the woman could be seen walking toward him with a large leather belt.
The victim walked backward toward his own residence while arguing and the suspect stepped between him and the woman, then the video ends.
In an interview, the woman told police she overheard an argument between the suspect and the victim and saw that he was standing on the easement. She said she didn’t know the easement wasn’t part of her property.
She told police that she became upset because her puppy got sick from eating an apple core and he accused the victim of throwing it over the fence.
She said she approached the victim to get him to leave and she said she suddenly felt her hair being pulled, then she heard a gunshot.
The suspect said he shot the victim and told her to call 911. She said she didn’t see a physical struggle on the ground and he didn’t reach into his pockets or make threatening movements
The victim’s friend told JSO that they were collecting wood from the street for a fire when the suspect and the woman came outside and began arguing with them.
He said he was carrying an axe to chop the wood and furniture, but said he never raised the axe or held it in a threatening manner.
He said the suspect threatened, “I will shoot you if you don’t get off my property.” At that point, he began walking back toward the victim’s residence.
The police report said the victim’s friend heard the gunshot and saw the suspect standing over him and the woman was not near them.
The suspect was interviewed, too and said he was inside his home when he heard a loud noise outside. He said he saw the victim and his friend rummaging through trash belonging to his neighbor when an argument ensued. The suspect told the victim to leave his property and acknowledged that the victim was standing on the easement adjacent to his property. He also said at the time, he believed the easement was part of his property and thought the victim was trespassing.
The suspect said he went inside his home to get his firearm and when he returned, he saw the woman on the sidewalk arguing with the victim. He said he tried to separate the two, but the victim shoved him aside and began “attacking” the woman.
The suspect told JSO he saw the victim reaching toward his waistband or pocket, so he fired one shot, striking the man in his side. He went back inside, unloaded the firearm and returned with paper towels, but the victim refused aid.
JSO said it arrested the man based on his admission, the victim’s statement, and video evidence. He is charged with 2nd-degree murder.
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