US: Gunman in racially motivated Jacksonville store shooting identified

Officials have revealed the identity of the suspected gunman responsible for a tragic incident at a Dollar General store in Jacksonville, Florida. The individual responsible for the rampage has been identified as Ryan Christopher Palmeter.The shooting believed to be motivated by racial hatred, resulted in the deaths of three Black individuals and caused widespread fear. The alleged shooter, a 21-year-old white man left behind a last will and testament, along with disturbing writings which is called something like hatred-filled "the diary of a madman". The suspected gunman shot himself too after killing three of his victims in the tragic gun shooting.

Biden condemns shooting

US President Joe Biden on Sunday (August 27) condemned the Jacksonville shooting in strongest words saying, "white supremacy has no place in America." In a statement, the US president said, “Even as we continue searching for answers, we must say clearly and forcefully that white supremacy has no place in America."

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He also said that a federal civil rights investigation has been initiated into the shooting. The investigation is being conducted to check for any angle of hate crime and domestic violent extremism, media reports said, quoting Biden.

Further, rebuking the racist attack that claimed the lives of three people, the US president said, “We must refuse to live in a country where Black families going to the store or Black students going to school live in fear of being gunned down because of the colour of their skin. Hate must have no safe harbour. Silence is complicity and we must not remain silent."

“Jill and I are praying for the victims and their families, and we grieve with the people of Jacksonville," he added.

It is worth noting that the horrific shooting took place around the same time as when sixty years back, about 250,000 individuals congregated at the Lincoln Memorial in the heart of the nation's capital for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

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The well-known "I Have a Dream" speech was delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963. The notable speech has since become significant in the struggle for racial and social parity.

Gunman bought arms legally

The sheriff suspectsthe gunman, who was armed with an AR-15-style weapon, had obtained it legally. Palmeter opened fire on Black shoppers at the Dollar General store on a Saturday (August 28) afternoon. The horrifying shooting spree within the store lasted slightly over 11 minutes and was captured on surveillance cameras.

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Sheriff T.K. Waters said, "There was no criminal record, nothing," adding, "There were no red flags."

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