JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Tragedy struck on Friday afternoon when a 7-year-old boy, identified by his mother as Breon Allen, was fatally shot during a drive-by on Commonwealth Avenue in Jacksonville’s Westside.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO), the incident occurred around 5 p.m. as Breon and his 21-year-old cousin were leaving a home. A car, believed to be a Kia Soul, approached, and multiple individuals exited the vehicle, opening fire with handguns and rifles.
Breon’s mother revealed they were heading to a nearby corner store when the shots rang out. “He was a baby. He didn’t ask for any of this,” she said, urging anyone with information to come forward.
The 21-year-old man, reportedly gang-affiliated, sustained critical injuries and remains hospitalized. Breon succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Several homes in the area were struck by gunfire, but no other injuries were reported.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan called the act “heartless violence” and urged the community to help bring the perpetrators to justice. “Our city mourns the heartbreaking loss of a seven-year-old boy whose life was tragically taken,” she stated.
A neighbor described witnessing two individuals exit the black vehicle, one wielding a shotgun and the other a handgun. “They were opening fire on what looked like two or three individuals. I’ve lived here for almost a year, and I’ve never seen or heard anything like that,” the neighbor said.
JSO Sheriff T.K. Waters vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable, saying, “Anyone who callously opens fire on a 7-year-old cannot be allowed to walk the streets of our city.”
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS. Community support remains critical as investigators work to ensure justice for Breon and his grieving family.