JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Springfield Middle School coach is mourning the loss of his former student, 17-year-old Talisse Patterson, after she was shot and killed while waiting to get into a Halloween party in Jacksonville.
“Talisse was one of those salt-of-the-earth type students,” coach Clifton Collins said, saying she was a student who was quick to help others. “If she was in your class, she was going to help you out. She would keep the other kids in line.”
The shooting happened early Sunday outside the Regency Inn on Arlington Expressway. People were waiting in line to enter the Halloween party when an argument broke out, and three bystanders who weren’t involved were shot, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Patterson was killed, and two others were injured when the gunfire erupted, police said.
Investigators believe at least two suspects walked up to the area before firing. JSO has not announced any arrests.
Collins said he coached Patterson for three years at Springfield Middle School and that teachers were devastated by her death.
“Every teacher that I’ve talked to since I heard what happened has been very, very devastated that such a good, good person lost their life too soon,” he said.
He said he has used the tragedy to talk with students about staying aware of their surroundings and trusting their instincts.
“If they’ve got a gut feeling that something’s going wrong, maybe they should go home or not be out that late,” Collins said.
A resident who lives near the scene described hearing repeated gunfire. The resident said the first burst caught their attention, followed by more shots.
“Our heart goes out to her family and anybody else that was involved,” Collins said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
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