JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office incident report is shedding light on a suspicious encounter near Lone Star Elementary School Friday morning after a child was approached by a man driving a blue van.
The incident was reported around 8:25 a.m. on Sept. 4, and involved a child under 14 years of age, according to the report. Officers from JSO’s District 2 Patrol unit and Duval County School Board Police responded jointly.
What happened
According to the incident report, the child was walking near the school — a departure from the usual routine — when a man in a blue van pulled up alongside them. A nearby witness, who was driving behind the van, saw the child shake their head “no” at the driver. The witness found the behavior suspicious and began photographing the van.
The child ran away from the van, which then drove off. The witness then alerted police.
Suspect detained, then released
A Duval County School Police sergeant located the suspect vehicle stopped at the intersection of Lighthouse Road and Brookview Drive N. The sergeant stopped the vehicle, detained the male driver — identified as the sole occupant — and waited for JSO officers to arrive.
Upon arrival, officers noted that all rear seats in the van had been laid flat. Two cell phones were found on the passenger seat. One phone displayed a video playing on a loop in a foreign language.
The suspect was transported to JSO’s Special Victims Unit office, where a detective conducted an interview. The child was separately transported to the Child Protection Team (CPT) for an interview with another officer.
Following the investigation, the man was released. The case was not cleared, with patrol efforts suspended, according to the report.
Case status
JSO classified the offense under Florida Statute 787.025(2)(A) — luring or enticing a child under 14 years of age by a person 18 years of age or older without parent or guardian consent, a third-degree felony.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
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