JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan will be traveling to Washington on Friday to meet with President Joe Biden to discuss gun violence.
The news comes 26 days after Jacksonville witnessed one of its worst hate crimes in recent history when a white man who hated Black people, according to the sheriff, murdered three Black residents inside a Dollar General store and then took his own life.
Now, a new federal office is being formed to address gun violence in America. The office is expected to provide more funding for programs to fight gun violence.
People who live in the New Town area where the Dollar General shooting took place are still feeling the anger and are not sure what is going to help.
The memorial at the store is still standing strong and serves as a reminder of how gun violence is tearing communities apart.
The issue forced President Biden to create the first-ever federal office of gun violence prevention. The president is expected to meet with Mayor Deegan and other mayors from across the county to announce how the new office will work to provide funding for programs in areas struggling with gun violence.
After the murders in Jacksonville last month, Deegan told the community she would do what she could to help.
“The division has to stop. The hate has to stop. The rhetoric has to stop,” Deegan said.
The new federal office could be a start.
Looking at the number of gun crimes in Jacksonville this year, it’s down when compared to the same period last year.
News4JAX has reported there were 133 people killed by guns in Jacksonville last year between January and September. So far this year, that number is 89, including those killed in the Dollar General attack.
A total of 261 people have been shot in the city this year, 16% less than in the same period last year, according to News4JAX records.
Despite the lower numbers community groups still say more needs to be done to curb the violence.
A.J. Jordan of Mad Dads, an organization that fights against drugs and social disorder, said the meeting with the mayor and president is important but more important is how the community deals with gun violence.
“It takes many different factors to solve our gun issues. It takes people speaking up, it takes parents being involved, teachers being involved, takes our city and our share of being involved in it. So that’s just one part, the funding part of it. But the bigger part of it is people being involved in these, in our young people,” Jordan said.
News4JAX also spoke with Ernestine Allen near the murder scene at the Dollar General store. She has family across the street.
“I think it’s time we get national attention,” said Allen, who thinks the new federal program could help.
Deegan was not available for comment on Thursday.
More details are expected to be released about the new federal office on Friday and the president is expected to meet with the mayors Friday morning.
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