6 shot on street near north Florida stadium before NFL game

Jacksonville Fire and Rescue personnel use chemicals and hoses to clean the blood outside the Maytag Coin Laundry on A Philip Randolph Boulevard, Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla., after a street shooting earlier in the day, several blocks away from TIAA Bank Field where the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans played an NFL football game. | Bob Self/The Florida Times-Union via AP

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Six people have been wounded in a street shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL’s Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, said several shots rang out about 12:35 p.m. Sunday on a boulevard in the stadium’s general area and that five men and one woman were hit by gunfire. All were rushed to hospitals, and the sheriff’s office tweeted that three of the victims were in critical condition. The victims ranged in age from their 20s to the 70s, according to Lendvay.

The shooting broke out before the scheduled 1 p.m. start of play. Lendvay reported no link to the game, which went on without incident, and said investigators were investigating whether it was gang-related.

The Texans won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, defeating the Jaguars 20-7 to take a one-game lead in the AFC South at the stadium, TIAA Bank Field.

Local media reports cited authorities as saying the shooting had had no impact on game day activities.

Lendvay told reporters that a shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray, four-door sedan driven by a companion and that the victims were hit outside on the sidewalk near a laundromat. He said the car immediately drove off and that detectives had been checking surveillance video in hopes of better identifying the vehicle and locating those involved.

“There were at least two people in the car,” Lendvay said. He added that investigators didn’t know if any others were in the car and he didn’t rule out the possibility of other shooters elsewhere.

“This may be gang-related based on information obtained in the early stages of the investigation,” he told reporters Sunday, declining to elaborate.

An update on the conditions of the wounded wasn’t immediately available late Sunday and they were not identified by name.

“A couple of them were in very serious condition on their arrival at the hospital,” Lendvay said. He added that five of the wounded were rushed by paramedics for emergency care and the sixth by private vehicle.

He said authorities have been unable to immediately determine whether there was any relationship among the wounded, noting none could be immediately interviewed though authorities hoped to do so later.

“It’s hard to say if they are all associated or not,” he added.

Lendvay spoke near the scene Sunday afternoon even as the game was in progress, saying investigators had cordoned off the area but fans who had cars parked in the area could expect an escort to their vehicles so they could leave unhindered after play was over.

Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, told local media he was aware of crime problems in the neighborhood and urged a greater law enforcement presence there.

“In talking to the sheriff’s department; they are going to beef up patrols …We have a crime issue,” Gaffney said. “Every other week and every other month out there, it’s too much.”

Florida Gov. Rick Scott also said in a statement that he had reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, offering any state resources that the city may need.</s>Six people have been wounded, three critically, in a possible gang-related shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL’s Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Six people have been wounded, three critically, in a possible gang-related shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL’s Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Six people have been wounded in a street shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL’s Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, said several shots rang out about 12:35 p.m. Sunday on a boulevard in the stadium’s general area and that five men and one woman were hit by gunfire. All were rushed to hospitals, and the sheriff’s office tweeted that three of the victims were in critical condition. The victims ranged in age from their 20s to the 70s, according to Lendvay.

The shooting broke out before the scheduled 1 p.m. start of play. Lendvay reported no link to the game, which went on without incident, and said investigators were investigating whether it was gang-related.

The Texans won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, defeating the Jaguars 20-7 to take a one-game lead in the AFC South at the stadium, TIAA Bank Field.

Local media reports cited authorities as saying the shooting had had no impact on game day activities though some fans headed to the game reported hearing the gunfire.

Lendvay told reporters that a shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray, four-door sedan driven by a companion and that the victims were hit outside on the sidewalk near a laundromat. He said the car immediately drove off and that detectives had been checking surveillance video in hopes of identifying the vehicle and those involved.

“There were at least two people in the car,” Lendvay said. He added that investigators didn’t know if any others were in the car and he didn’t rule out the possibility of other shooters elsewhere.

“This may be gang-related based on information obtained in the early stages of the investigation,” he told reporters Sunday, declining to elaborate.

Some fans told local broadcast outlet New4Jax that they heard shots as they headed to the stadium.

“We had just parked our cars,” Vanessa Holmes told the new outlet, adding she and some family members were walking when it happened. “We heard the shots. We didn’t know if we should fall to the ground. We didn’t know what to do,” she said.

Others told the broadcast outlet that they saw people running out of the coin laundry business when the shots were fired.

Some said it was a series of shots.

“We were over there talking and suddenly, it was like ten gunshots. We ran and went for cover and then I saw the police, and people were crowding down there,” a woman identified as Yvonne Lee told News4Jax.

An update on the conditions of the wounded wasn’t immediately available late Sunday and they were not identified by name.

“A couple of them were in very serious condition on their arrival at the hospital,” Lendvay said. He added that five of the wounded were rushed by paramedics for emergency care and the sixth by private vehicle.

He said authorities have been unable to immediately determine whether there was any relationship among the wounded, noting none could be immediately interviewed though authorities hoped to do so later.

“It’s hard to say if they are all associated or not,” he added.

Lendvay spoke near the scene Sunday afternoon even as the game was in progress, saying investigators had cordoned off the area but fans who had cars parked in the area could expect an escort to their vehicles so they could leave unhindered after play was over.

Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, told local media he was aware of crime problems in the neighborhood and urged a greater law enforcement presence there.

“In talking to the sheriff’s department; they are going to beef up patrols …We have a crime issue,” Gaffney said. “Every other week and every other month out there, it’s too much.”

Florida Gov. Rick Scott also said in a statement that he had reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, offering any state resources that the city may need.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>Six people have been wounded, some seriously, in a possible gang-related street shooting blocks from the north Florida stadium where the NFL's Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, said several shots were fired about 12:35 p.m. on Sunday outside a laundromat on a boulevard in the general area of the stadium and that five men and one woman were struck by bullets and wounded. He said all were rushed to hospitals and that they ranged in age from their 20s to the 70s.The shooting came less than a half hour before the game's scheduled 1 p.m. start. But the sheriff's official reported no link to the game, which went on and concluded without incident.The Texans won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, defeating the Jaguars 20-7 to take a one-game lead in the AFC South at the stadium, TIAA Bank Field.Local media reports cited authorities as saying the shooting had had no impact on game day operations.At an afternoon news briefing outside the laundromat where the shooting erupted, Lendvay said, authorities had cordoned off the site for an extensive criminal investigation. He added that authorities made plans to escort fans to any cars parked near the scene, allowing them to leave unimpeded once the game ended.Lendvay told reporters that a shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray, four-door sedan driven by someone else, but details were sketchy and investigators didn't immediately determine a motive. He said the car left the area and that detectives were checking surveillance video to try to identify the vehicle and locate the occupants."There were at least two people in the car," Lendvay said. He added that investigators didn't know if any others were in the car and he didn't rule out the possibility of additional shooters elsewhere. Said Lendvay: "We just don't know."Authorities had no immediate update on the conditions late Sunday of the wounded or their identities."A couple of them were in very serious condition on their arrival at the hospital," Lendvay said. He added that five of the wounded were rushed by paramedics for emergency care and that the sixth was taken by a private vehicle to a hospital.He also said that authorities have been unable to immediately determine whether there was any relationship between those wounded."We haven't been able to interview them (the victims) at all. It's hard to say if they are all associated or not," he added.Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, told local media that he was aware of crime problems in the area. He said a greater law enforcement presence was needed there."In talking to the sheriff's department, they are going to beef up patrol. Evidently, it's not working. We have a crime issue," Gaffney said. "Every other week and every other month out there, it's too much. I got several calls."Florida Gov. Rick Scott also said in a statement that he had reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, offering any state resources Jacksonville may need.</s>JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Six people have been wounded, some seriously, in what is being investigated as a possible gang-related shooting blocks from the NFL stadium in Florida where the Jacksonville Jaguars were hosting the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon.

Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, said the shooting erupted near a laundromat at 12:35 p.m. Sunday and that five men and one woman ranging in age from their 20s to the 70s were rushed to the hospital.

He reported no link to the game, which started at 1 p.m. and went on without incident. Speaking at an afternoon news briefing near the laundromat on a boulevard blocks away, Lendvay said, any fans parked near the shooting site were being escorted to their cars to retrieve them afterward and leave what he called an “active crime scene.”

The Texans won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, defeating the Jaguars 20-7 to take a one-game lead in the AFC South at the stadium, TIAA Bank Field. Local media reports cited authorities as saying the shooting had had no impact on game day operations.

Lendvay told reporters that a shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray sedan driven by someone else, but details were still sketchy Sunday afternoon and that investigators haven’t determined a motive. He said the car left the area and authorities were checking surveillance video to try to locate it and find those involved.

“There were at least two people in the car,” Lendvay said. He added that investigators don’t know if others were in the car and he didn’t rule out the possibility of additional shooters. Said Lendvay: “We just don’t know.”

He also said he had no immediate update on the conditions of the wounded or their identities later Sunday.

“A couple of them were in very serious condition on their arrival at the hospital,” Lendvay said. He added that five of the wounded were rushed by paramedics for emergency care and that the sixth person was taken by private vehicle to a hospital.

He also said that authorities have been unable to immediately determine whether there was any relationship between the victims.

“We haven’t been able to interview them (the victims) at all. It’s hard to say if they are all associated or not,” he added.</s>JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Authorities say six people have been wounded, some seriously, in an apparent gang-related shooting blocks from the NFL stadium in Jacksonville where the Jaguars were hosting the Houston Texans.

Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, says the shooting erupted near a laundromat at 12:35 p.m. Sunday and five men and one woman ranging in age from their 20s to the 70s were rushed for medical care. He told a news briefing Sunday the shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray sedan driven by someone else in the general area of the stadium.

He gave no indication of any link to the game, which started at 1 p.m. and wasn’t affected.

Lendvay says any fans who parked near the shooting scene would be able to retrieve their cars afterward.</s>Six people were shot in Jacksonville, Florida, on Sunday less than a mile away from TIAA Bank Field, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office initially said three of the victims were in critical condition and did not give an immediate update on the other victims' conditions. The victims ages ranged from 20s to 70 years old, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities said there was no one in custody, and they believed the suspects were in a gray or silver four-door vehicle.

The shooting occurred around 12:35 p.m. when the vehicle approached people on a sidewalk, police said. Shots were then fired from the passenger side of the vehicle. The sheriff's office believes there are at least two suspects, but there could be others involved.

The sheriff's also said the shooting was possibly gang-related, but the investigation is ongoing.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were playing a game against the Houston Texans at the stadium at the time of the shooting. The sheriff's office said that the game was not impacted.

Police closed the area around the shooting, but they believed there was no active threat to the public. Fans who parked their vehicles in the crime scene area will be escorted by police to retrieve them.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.</s>JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Blake Bortles fumbled on Jacksonville's third play of each half, leading to 10 points and his benching in a 20-7 loss to the streaking Houston Texans on Sunday.

The Texans (4-3) won their fourth consecutive game thanks to those two turnovers and took a one-game lead in the AFC South.

Deshaun Watson, who reportedly made the 800-mile road trip by bus instead of plane, had a touchdown pass despite playing with a bruised lung and injured ribs. Lamar Miller ran for a season-high 100 yards and a score .

Watson's health and Jacksonville's quarterback situation surely will be the main topics going forward.

Cody Kessler replaced Bortles in the third quarter and threw a short touchdown pass to T.J. Yeldon , creating speculation he might supplant Bortles in the starting lineup.

JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 21: Cody Kessler #6 of the Jacksonville Jaguars passes the ball during the second half against the Houston Texans at TIAA Bank Field on October 21, 2018 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

The Jaguars (3-4) signed Bortles to a three-year, $54 million contract in February with the belief he was good enough to lead the defensive-minded team back to the playoffs. Bortles has been downright awful in three straight losses, with two touchdown passes and eight turnovers.

Coach Doug Marrone clearly had seen enough when he made the switch Sunday. Marrone also benched Bortles in the 2017 preseason, only to give him the starting job back nine days later.

Bortles played turnover-free football in the postseason, gaining top executive Tom Coughlin's confidence and landing the new contract. Now it's unclear how much of the money he will get.

Bortles lost the ball both times trying to scramble. The first one led to a field goal, and Watson connected with DeAndre Hopkins for a 10-yard score following the second one . That was one of several one-on-one matchups Hopkins won against talkative cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Hopkins' best was a one-handed catch for 31 yards along the sideline in the first quarter.

The Texans led 13-0 at the break, the third time in as many games Jacksonville has failed to score before halftime. The Jaguars had never done that previously in franchise history.

They also had scoreless halves against Kansas City (24-0) and Dallas (20-0), so the Jags were outscored 57-0 in the first half in three straight weeks.

Jaguars: Face Philadelphia in a "home game" at Wembley Stadium in London.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Six people have been shot near a football stadium in Jacksonville, according to the Sheriff's Office.
• Six people injured in shooting in Jacksonville
• At least three in critical condition

The shooting happened along A Philip Randolph Boulevard and Pippin Street, just north of the TIAA Bank Field football stadium. The area around A Philip Randolph Boulevard has been closed.

According to authorities, six people were shot while standing outside on a sidewalk. Three are in critical condition.

The injured people range in age from 20s to 70s.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office believes the suspect or suspects were in a gray or silver four-door vehicle. No other description was given. Authorities say the shooter may have been a passenger in the vehicle.

The shooting did not impact the Jacksonville Jaguars game, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500.</s>JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Six people have been wounded, three critically, in a possible gang-related shooting blocks from the Florida stadium where the NFL's Houston Texans played and defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Ron Lendvay, director of investigations for the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, said several shots were fired about 12:35 p.m. Sunday on a boulevard outside in the general area of the stadium and that five men and one woman were struck by bullets and wounded. He said all were rushed to hospitals and that they ranged in age from their 20s to the 70s.

The shooting erupted before the game's scheduled 1 p.m. start, but Lendvay reported no link to the game, which went on and concluded without incident.

The Texans won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, defeating the Jaguars 20-7 to take a one-game lead in the AFC South at the stadium, TIAA Bank Field.

Local media reports cited authorities as saying the shooting had had no impact on game day activities in and around the stadium.

Lendvay told reporters that a shooter fired from the passenger side of a gray, four-door sedan driven by someone else and that the victims were outside on the sidewalk near a laundromat. He said the car immediately fled the area and that detectives were checking surveillance video to try to identify the vehicle and locate the occupants.

"There were at least two people in the car," Lendvay said. He added that investigators didn't know if any others were in the car and he didn't rule out the possibility of additional shooters elsewhere.

Authorities had no immediate report on what led up to the shootings. The sheriff's office tweeted that three of the wounded were rushed in critical condition for care. An update on their conditions wasn't immediately available late Sunday and they were not identified by name.

"A couple of them were in very serious condition on their arrival at the hospital," Lendvay said. He added five of the wounded were rushed by paramedics for emergency care and the sixth by private vehicle.

He said authorities have been unable to immediately determine whether there was any relationship among the wounded.

"We haven't been able to interview them at all. It's hard to say if they are all associated or not," he added.

At an afternoon news briefing outside the laundromat where the shooting erupted, Lendvay said, authorities were conducting an exhaustive investigation. He added that authorities made plans to escort fans to any cars parked near the scene, allowing them to leave unimpeded once the game ended.

Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney, who represents the district where the shooting occurred, told local media that he was aware of crime problems in the neighborhood. He said a greater law enforcement presence was needed there.

"In talking to the sheriff's department; they are going to beef up patrols. Evidently, it's not working. We have a crime issue," Gaffney said. "Every other week and every other month out there, it's too much."

Florida Gov. Rick Scott also said in a statement that he had reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, offering any state resources Jacksonville may need.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>The Houston Texans are back on top of the AFC South. With their 20-7 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier today at TIAA Bank Field, Houston has overcome a 0-3 start to win four games in a row and take the division lead.

Second-year quarterback Deshaun Watson led the way on offense, going 12-for-24 for 139 yards and a touchdown. The Clemson product looked a lot more comfortable on the gridiron than he has in recent weeks. Watson was seen smiling several times, doing push-ups after taking a hit, and even laughed and exchanged pleasantries with a few opposing Jacksonville defenders.

It was a reassuring sight for Texans fans given the news that Watson took a bus to Jacksonville for the game instead of a flight, as the Texans feared how the air pressure would affect his bruised lung and ribs. As for Watson’s performance on the gridiron, the 23-year-old played the first game of his 2018 NFL season in which he didn’t throw an interception.

He showed flashes of accuracy issues, missing wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller on wide open passes on separate occasions. Watson also had trouble managing the play clock at times. Coach Bill O’Brien was forced to call a timeout to save the Texans five yards as Watson didn’t get the ball off on time. However, Watson again mismanaged the play block later on, picking up a delay of game penalty in the process.

Also, while Watson’s ability to get out of the pocket and extend plays at times is a huge benefit to Houston’s offense, it can also be a huge detriment. Watson still hangs on to the ball too long at times, rather than living to play another down and throwing the rock away.

Regardless, Watson has led the Texans to four-straight victories and an AFC South division lead. He’ll be back at home from NRG Stadium this Thursday night for a prime time game against the Miami Dolphins, who are led by former Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler.
Six people are wounded at a street gang-related shooting near TIAA Bank Field before an NFL game, in which the Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Houston Texans.