JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - On Saturday, August 26, a gunman opened fire at a Jacksonville General Dollar store in a racially-motivated attack, killing three Black Jacksonville residents. This horrific incident comes a day prior to the 63rd anniversary of Axe Handle Saturday, the day a racially-motivated attack in Jacksonville brutally injured 48 Black residents and terrorized the entire city.
In reaction to Saturday, ACLU of Florida Interim Executive Director Howard Simon issued the following statement:
“Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr., Jerrald De'Shaun Gallon, and Angela Michelle Carr should all still be alive today. We are outraged by this hateful act of violence and stand with the families as they mourn the loss of their loved ones.
“These horrific racist killings, along with Ax Handle Saturday and the infamous massacres at Ocoee and Rosewood, now become part of the ugly history of racial violence in Florida, history that should not be papered over by the Governor and his education officials – even if the honest telling of our history makes some people uncomfortable.”
“We expect vigorous condemnation of this racist violence by local and state officials. Racism is an insidious disease that must be eradicated in our society in all its forms. Failure to condemn racist violence only helps create a climate where white supremacy thrives.”
