A 4-year-old girl died, and her mother and younger sister remained critically injured after gunfire on Traci Lynn Drive.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville police said a domestic dispute with prior calls to the same family preceded a Northside shooting Tuesday that killed a 4-year-old girl and critically injured her mother and 2-year-old sister.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened about 4:59 p.m. in the 10900 block of Traci Lynn Drive in the Highlands neighborhood. Officers arrived and found three people shot inside or near the home. The 4-year-old died at the scene, while the 27-year-old mother and toddler were rushed to a hospital in life-threatening condition.
Investigators said the suspected shooter is the father of the two children and the other parent of the adult victim. Police said he was arrested about 20 minutes after the shooting, but they did not release his name Tuesday night. Officials also withheld the victims’ names while the investigation continued and family notifications were handled.
Chief of Investigations Michael Paul said detectives were looking closely at the family’s history with police. The sheriff’s office said officers had responded to past domestic dispute calls involving the man and woman, though officials did not describe those reports in detail. Police said no witnesses were immediately available to explain what led to the gunfire.
The case shifted quickly from an emergency medical response to a homicide investigation. Detectives worked the scene on Traci Lynn Drive, gathered evidence and began reviewing the earlier police calls. The mother and toddler were still fighting for their lives late Tuesday, and their conditions were a key part of the continuing investigation.
Paul said the shooting was especially painful because of the ages of the victims. He said children being shot affects not only relatives but also investigators and neighbors who knew the family. One neighborhood man said he could not believe a child had been killed and said the community was shaken by the violence.
Police had not announced formal charges by early Wednesday. The next steps include finalizing reports, reviewing physical evidence, confirming medical updates and presenting the case for prosecution. More details are expected after the suspect is booked and court records become available.
Author note: Last updated July 1, 2026.