JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly two years after a racially-motivated mass shooting took the lives of three people at a Dollar General on Kings Road, the Jacksonville community gathered at Kings Road Memorial Park to honor the victims and survivors of that tragic day.
On Sunday, city leaders, survivors, and families of the victims came together for the third annual memorial ceremony—just days before the August 26 anniversary. The event featured heartfelt tributes and the unveiling of new memorials, including tree plaques and a survivor bench.
A solemn moment came during the reading of the victims’ names:
“Angela Michelle Carr, Anolt ‘AJ’ Laguerre Jr., and Jerrald deShawn Gallion.”
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Each victim now has a dedicated plaque placed on a tree at the memorial park. The plaques were unveiled by their families, offering a place for reflection and remembrance.
This year also marked the first appearance of a survivor bench, engraved with the names of nine people who lived through the shooting. Among those recognized was Christina Briscoe, an assistant manager at the store who had hired Laguerre, affectionately known as AJ.
“He will say hey Miss Christine, are you hiring? I will tell him, AJ, you don’t want to work here. You don’t want to work at the store, honey,” said Briscoe.
She shared that her decision changed after learning more about AJ’s intentions.
“He told me that he needed a job for his grandparents. Parents to help his grandmother out,” she said.
Another survivor, the store manager at the time of the shooting, gave a chilling account of witnessing AJ’s final moments.
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“I see the guy walking in the door, but he was dressed like SWAT, so we didn’t know what was going on until I seen him turn and shoot AJ,” the store manager said.
Officials say 21-year-old Ryan Palmeter deliberately targeted Black people in and around the Dollar General on August 26, 2023, before taking his own life.
Jacksonville leaders joined the community in denouncing the violence and honoring the lives affected.
“What happened that day was unacceptable,” said Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman, who helped host the ceremony.
Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters added, “Any murder is a tragedy, but the hate that motivated this shooter’s killing spree added an additional layer of heartbreak.”
Mayor Donna Deegan also addressed those in attendance, reminding families that their pain is not forgotten.
“I cannot promise you that time will make this right. I can promise that time will not erase your memories or ours,” she said.
As the ceremony closed, Briscoe offered a message of hope and healing:
“Grief is heavy, but joy comes.”
The three trees and the new survivor bench will remain at Kings Road Memorial Park as a permanent reminder of the lives lost and those who carry the memory forward.
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