JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville City Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman is calling for additional public safety measures at Clanzel T. Brown Park after a man was fatally shot during an argument at a basketball game.
Charles Johnson Jr., 33, was shot multiple times shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday at the park on Moncrief Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to a hospital, where he died.
Investigators said Johnson was playing basketball when he began arguing with another man. The suspect, identified by police as 22-year-old Jayden King, allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot Johnson before running from the area.
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Witnesses identified King, and officers found him less than four miles from the park, according to JSO. He was arrested before midnight and charged with second-degree murder.
Pittman, who represents District 10, said the shooting highlights ongoing concerns about gun violence in the area.
“I’m deeply concerned and frustrated by the continued gun violence, particularly when we are seeing repeated incidents in and around the same areas,” Pittman said in a statement. “One life lost is one too many, and our residents deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods, parks and public spaces.”
MAD DADS of Northeast Florida president, AJ Jordan, expressed similar concerns and credited the community with stepping in to help, which led to a quick arrest.
“It was dangerous. You had kids. You had grandparents in the park, so it could have been much worse than what it was. And our hearts go out to the family that lost their loved one yesterday,” Jordan said. “The community responded quickly, and JSO was able to get that person in custody quickly. So it was the community that really solved the crime.”
The shooting happened less than two months after a 12-year-old boy was shot in the leg at the same park during an argument between two groups.
Pittman said city officials need to examine what is driving the violence and determine what additional resources are needed to prevent another shooting.
“This cannot become something we simply accept as normal,” she said. “I want to know what is driving these incidents, what additional public safety resources are needed and what we can do differently to prevent the next tragedy.”
Specifically, Pittman said she wants officials to review lighting, security cameras, staffing, programming, park hours and police presence at Clanzel T. Brown Park.
The city announced in 2025 that security cameras had been installed at Clanzel T. Brown Park and nine other Jacksonville parks as part of a Safe Parks initiative. The cameras are connected to JSO’s Real-Time Crime Center, where officers can monitor live video feeds. The Parks Department also monitors the cameras.
Though the shooting happened in the evening, Pittman said that any potential changes to the park should account for nighttime safety.
“If there are changes that can make the park safer, we will identify them and act, but government cannot do this body of work alone,” she said.
She also called for residents, community groups and other partners to help address the violence.
“I don’t want to keep standing in front of a camera after another person has been killed,” Pittman said. “Our residents deserve to be safe and that has to remain the priority.”
JSO is asking anyone with information about the shooting to call 904-630-0500, email JSOtips@jaxsheriff.org or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 866-845-TIPS.
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