Tragedy struck the city of Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday when a shooting at a Dollar General store left four people dead, including the shooter. Authorities have identified the shooter as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter, a white male who carried out what officials are describing as a racially motivated crime.

According to Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters, Palmeter entered the Dollar General in a predominantly black neighborhood armed with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle and a Glock handgun. He first targeted a victim named Angela Carr, shooting her through the window of her car in the parking lot. He then proceeded to enter the store and opened fire. Two other victims, Anolt Laguerre Jr. and Jerrald De'Shaun Gallion, were fatally shot by Palmeter before he turned the gun on himself.

During a news conference, Sheriff Waters stated, "Plainly put, the shooting was racially motivated, and he hated Black people." Waters also revealed that the shooter had written several manifestos, one of which was addressed to his parents, another to the media, and a separate one to federal agents. Portions of these manifestos detailed the suspect's "disgusting ideology of hate." The AR-15 rifle used in the shooting was found to have swastikas painted on it, further indicating the shooter's disturbing beliefs.

Ryan Christopher Palmeter was a 21-year-old with no criminal record, according to authorities. However, he had been involved in a 2016 domestic violence incident and had previously been involuntarily committed to a mental hospital for examination. No further details about these incidents were provided.

In the aftermath of the shooting, the victims were identified as Angela Carr, 52, Anolt Laguerre Jr., 19, and Jerrald De'Shaun Gallion, 29. Their deaths have sparked outrage and condemnation from the community. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the shooting "totally unacceptable" and described the shooter as a “scumbag” who targeted people based on their race.

The incident has prompted a federal civil rights investigation, with the Department of Justice pursuing the shooting as a hate crime. FBI Jacksonville Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sherri Onks stated that her agents rushed to the scene to assist local law enforcement. Attorney General Merrick Garland has also called the shooting "an act of racially-motivated violent extremism."

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and released a statement expressing his outrage. He emphasized that white supremacy has no place in America and called for unity in the fight against hate. The shooting occurred on the same day as the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech and the March on Washington, adding a somber note to the day's events.

As the investigation continues, the Jacksonville community is grappling with the senseless violence that took the lives of three innocent individuals. Sheriff Waters urged the community to reject hate and stand united, emphasizing that the shooter's ideology is not representative of the city's values. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address and combat racism in all its forms.