Three individuals have been killed in a “racially motivated” taking pictures in Jacksonville, Florida.

Two males and one girl had been shot lifeless in a Dollar General retailer within the metropolis by a person in his early 20s in what the mayor has referred to as a “hate filled crime”.

Jacksonville’s sheriff mentioned that the suspect, an unidentified white man in his 20s, “targeted black people” within the taking pictures, which passed off close to a traditionally black college, earlier than killing himself.

“Plainly put, this shooting was racially motivated and he hated black people,” Sheriff T Okay Waters mentioned at a news convention.

Waters mentioned the shooter used a Glock handgun and an AR-15 fashion rifle emblazoned with swastikas throughout his kill spree which occurred shortly earlier than 2pm native time.

The shooter reportedly left a number of manifestos suffering from racial epithets detailing his hatred of black individuals.

Earlier, Mayor Donna Deegan instructed WJXT “there are a number of fatalities” inside the shop however didn’t give a exact quantity.

Numerous cops had been within the space close to Edward Waters University, a small traditionally black college.

“This is unacceptable,” Ms Deegan instructed the station. “One shooting is too much but these mass shootings are really hard to take.”

Jacksonville City Council member Ju’Coby Pittman instructed the station the shooter is lifeless. She didn’t give particulars.

“My heart is heavy. I am tired of all of the shootings,” she mentioned.

Sherri Onks, particular agent in command of the Jacksonville FBI workplace, mentioned federal officers had opened a civil rights investigation and would pursue the incident as a hate crime.

“Hate crimes are always and will always remain a top priority for the FBI because they are not only an attack on a victim, they’re also meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community,” Onks mentioned.

Edward Waters University college students had been being stored of their dorms, the varsity mentioned in an announcement.

No college students or school are believed concerned, the varsity mentioned.

The taking pictures occurred 5 years to the day when a gunman opened fireplace throughout a online game event in Jacksonville, killing two individuals earlier than fatally taking pictures himself.