ShotSpotter Aids the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Violence Reduction Strategy

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has been using ShotSpotter since 2017 with great success. With ShotSpotter, the JSO can respond more efficiently and timely to gunfire. ShotSpotter has enabled JSO to locate shootings and homicide scenes that were not reported to 9-1-1, sending alerts directly to dispatch and officers for a swift response.

On August 25, 2023, a lone suspect pulled into the parking lot of a discount store in Jacksonville, Florida. The suspect, armed with an AR-15 style rifle and semi-automatic handgun, approached the business. As the suspect walked toward the store, the suspect shot and killed a female sitting in her parked vehicle. The suspect then entered the store, shooting and killing two more individuals inside.

The suspect moved through the store toward the rear exit, firing at other customers. Meanwhile, an officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, responding to the initial ShotSpotter alert from the first shot in the front parking lot, positioned himself at the rear of the store near the exit. When the suspect opened the rear door, he encountered the officer. The suspect immediately retreated inside the store where he took his life.