Authorities respond to the scene of a mass shooting at a Dollar General store, Saturday, in Jacksonville, Fla.
John Raoux/AP
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John Raoux/AP
Authorities respond to the scene of a mass shooting at a Dollar General store, Saturday, in Jacksonville, Fla.
John Raoux/AP
A gunman who opened fire at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday afternoon, killed three people before taking his own life, authorities said.
The shooter, whose name has not yet been released, was described by Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters as a white male in his early 20s who left behind “manifestos.”
“Plainly put, this shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people,” Waters said during a press conference on Saturday evening, adding that the hate at the heart of the writings “adds an additional layer of heartbreak to this tragedy.”
The victims — two males and one female — have not been identified, but Waters confirmed that all were Black. No others were injured in the gunfire, he said.
Waters said the gunman was believed to have resided in Clay County, and drove about 40 miles north to Jacksonville on Saturday.
He donned a tactical vest and used an assault-style rifle and a handgun to carry out the attack. Photos of the weapons shared during a press conference showed swastikas painted on one side of the rifle.
Waters said the gunman texted his father ahead of…