Florida shooting: Gunman chased off Black university campus before targeting store

Florida, US

New details have emerged in the alleged racist Florida shooting that claimed the lives of three Black people in Jacksonville while the white gunman, the 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter, who carried out the attack shot himself to death. A. Zachary Faison Jr, the president of Edward Waters University, Florida's first historically Black university, disclosed that a campus police officer intervened in chasing off the white man from the university just moments before the shooter launched his attack on a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, media reports said. 

As per Reuters news agency, the incident began with Palmeter parking his car on the university campus in Jacksonville.

He was observed by students as he donned gloves and a military-style vest. Sensing something amiss, the students promptly alerted a campus officer. The police officer confronted Palmeter upon which he quickly left the scene in his vehicle. The officer continued to pursue him as Palmeter made his way to the Jacksonville store.

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Fatal shooting spree  

Around 10 minutes after fleeing the university, Palmeter carried out the shooting spree at the Dollar General store, an act that was allegedly fueled by racial hatred.

When sheriff's deputies closed in on him after the attack, the gunman took his own life. Authorities revealed several written manifestos in which Palmeter expressed his intense hatred for Black people. These writings may be released by authorities in the future, as per reports. 

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According to Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters, Palmeter had previously worked at a Dollar Tree store. Moreover, the surveillance footage indicated that he had entered a nearby Family Dollar store prior to arriving at the university campus.

President Joe Biden stressed the need to combat rising hatred and bigotry.

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In response to the incident, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis pledged $1 million to enhance security at Edward Waters University. An additional $100,000 would be contributed to a charity supporting the victims' families.

Governor DeSantis specified that the funds for increased security would come from the Volunteer Florida Foundation, a non-profit organisation receiving state and federal funding.