Social media has been abuzz with empathy and anger about the Nov. 22 double shooting at the Jacksonville Burger King on Blanding Boulevard near Collins Road. Some has even been misinformation about the number of people shot and where exactly it happened.
The Nov. 23 Sheriff’s Office arrest report of 28-year-old Dawud Saffe Burritt quells some of the misinformation and adds much more context. Some is still hard to decipher due to a lot of redactions for investigative and privacy concerns, but here’s a summary:
It happened about 8:30 p.m. at the 7900 Blanding fast food restaurant on the Westside. Initially a 911 call came in about something that was redacted, likely a disturbance or trespasser. While still on the phone, the caller notified police dispatch that gunshots were now being fired within the restaurant. When police arrived, they located 18-year-old Matthew Jacob Jackson unresponsive at the rear drive-through window and an additional 33-year-old male victim lying on the ground oustide. The Times-Union is not naming the second victim for his privacy.
An alert was issued for the suspect, and officers quickly located a man matching the description a short distance away near a retention pond who was wet. He was taken in for questioning and charged the next morning.
A detective went to the hospital and interviewed the surviving victim, who stated he had been friends with Burritt for several years but hadn’t spoken with him in awhile due to a falling out. But he said he didn’t have any issues with him.
When he saw him in the lobby and tried to shake hands with him, he said Burritt responded “what’s up” about something redacted in the report. Then a fight ensued, and Jackson intervened and broke it up.
More is redacted, but it sounds like this is where the suspect pulled out a gun because the 33-year-old said he started running out the back of the business but tripped and heard gunshots coming from inside. He saw Burritt leaving and then more redactions. Witnesses also corroborated seeing the fight.
Another witness said she observed the suspect just outside the business sitting in the courtyard area with a beer and very loud music playing. She told him he couldn’t stay if he didn’t buy anything. She said a person whose name was redacted and the suspect began yelling from across the restaurant with him in the doorway. The 33-year-old and Burritt began to argue and then fight, and then Jackson stepped in. Then she left and called police.
Burritt was jailed without bail on charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder and armed burglary, according to Sheriff’s Office inmate records.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: What does the arrest report say happened in the Burger King shooting?
Reporting by Scott Butler, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
