A shooting at FSU, a teacher held at Normandy Village Elementary and a St. Augustine man purchasing an entire city block are in the headlines affecting Northeast Florida today.
Welcome to WJCT First Read, your daily weekday morning round-up of the headlines from the First Coast, around Florida, and across the country. We'll also preview some of WJCT's upcoming news programming.
Three injured, one dead in shooting at FSU library
This morning around 12:30 a.m. a gunman opened fire at Florida State University's Stozier Library. The shooter was ordered to lower his weapon, but he instead fired at the campus police officers. Campus police returned fire and killed the shooter. Three students were injured by gunfire; one has been released, one is stable and one is in critical condition. (News4Jax)
Jacksonville joins Groundwork USA
In a press conference at Confederate Park, Mayor Brown announced that Jacksonville became the most recent member of Groundwork USA, an organization that provides assistance in revamping parks and natural environments in urban areas. Groundwork Jacksonville is receiving $115,000 in grants from Groundworks USA, the National Park Service and Wells Fargo Bank, as well as $50,000 in matching grants from the City of Jacksonville. (WJCT)
Student at Normandy Village Elementary held teacher hostage
According to a police report released Wednesday, 12-year-old Justin Lamoree was became irate after a timeout, grabbed the teacher's scissors and began threatening to harm the teacher and students. Police were forced to threaten the student with a Taser before he would comply to drop the weapon. Lamoree is currently in custody at juvenile jail and is facing three felony charges. (News4Jax)
St. Augustine retiree puchases entire city block of historic homes
Athough technically retiring in St. Augustine, David Corneal couldn't resist the opportunity to purchase the 9 historic homes for $1.7 million. Corneal has experience restoring properties in Key West, Pennsylvania and most recently in the Linconville Historic District in St. Augustine, and plans to repair the homes and split them into suites for vacationers. (First Coast News)
Owl terrorizing Jacksonville Beach neighborhood
Six owl attacks have been reported in the last few weeks by residents along Grande Boulevard in Jacksonville Beach. BEAKS director Cindy Mosling believes the owl is looking for food and does not mean to hurt anyone. Mosling plans on attempting to capture the bird this weekend.
Today on First Coast Connect Melissa and guests discuss the joint effort between private citizens, mayor's aides and JEA to make a late-hour alternative pension proposal.
You can get all the latest headlines online at WJCTNews.org, on our Facebook page, and on Twitter @WJCTJax. You can follow Ray Hollister on Twitter@RayHollister.
