MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — The Clay County Sheriff’s Office released new information Thursday about a deadly shooting in the Oakleaf/Middleburg area that left one woman dead and several others injured.
Samantha Cicone, 39, was pronounced dead at the scene, while a 21-year-old woman remains in critical condition after being shot.
The suspect, Mauricio Vasco Lopez, 45, was found with gunshot wounds and later died at a hospital.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Deputies responded to the scene on Pine Oaks Lane at approximately 6:20 a.m. after receiving a call about multiple people being shot.
Upon arrival, they found two women with gunshot wounds and two uninjured juveniles inside the residence.
Vincent Cicone Jr., 48, was also injured in the incident but has since been released from the hospital.
Other family members, including Linda Peeples, 47, Ashlyn Peeples, 19, and James Magruder, 18, managed to escape to a neighbor’s house.
Investigations revealed that the suspect and his wife had left their Jacksonville residence after midnight and drove through Clay County, eventually stopping in front of the incident location due to a disabled vehicle.
The suspect, armed with a handgun, entered the residence and began shooting.
The 16-year-old male in the house was able to grab a shotgun and fire at the suspect, critically injuring him. Meanwhile, the 11-year-old female hid inside a bedroom during the chaos.
Searches of the suspect’s vehicle and residence uncovered additional firearms and body armor, but no evidence linking him to the victims or establishing a motive has been found.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident, with no known connection between the suspect and the victims. The motive for the shooting remains unknown, and the community is urged to provide any additional information that could aid the investigation.
Sheriff Michelle Cook posted this about the crime:
“This case is absolutely horrible and tragic. There was no rhyme or reason… Just pure madness.
First, I want to commend the brave 16 year-old who took immensely heroic actions to save the rest of his family. He is going to have to live with this for the rest of his life. As a community, we need to pray for him. We also need to pray for all of the victims involved as they did not deserve this evil.
If you have a loved one who is suffering from a severe mental health crisis, you must call 911. The 988 Hotline is also available for those who feel like they need help.
Make sure you hug your loved ones…tomorrow is not guaranteed."
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.