Jacksonville, Florida – A recent carjacking in a UF Health parking lot has raised concerns for the safety of hospital employees and students.
A woman was carjacked at gunpoint Monday morning in a parking lot near the intersection of Dr. Roy Baker Boulevard and West 11th Street.
The woman told police that when she got out of her car around 8:30 a.m., a man with tattoos approached her and pointed a gun at her face. According to her arrest report, the man stole her Volkswagen SUV and cell phone.
Police identified the car robbery suspect as 27-year-old Edward Colton, a recently convicted and released felon. Police tracked the stolen SUV using a license plate reader and the woman's Find My iPhone app.
A red alert was also issued for the SUV and Colton.
Hours after the carjacking was reported, Colton was stopped in traffic on Burke Street in the Lackawanna neighborhood.
Jacksonville University's alert system also sent a message to employees letting them know what had happened.
“It's horrible,” the victim's husband told News4JAX. “We knew it was happening in this area and could happen in this area, but for something like this to actually happen in broad daylight is extremely alarming. That is disappointing.”
The husband requested anonymity because he feared the hospital would retaliate against his wife for speaking out about Behraf.
News4JAX Crime Safety Analyst Tom Hackney is a former director of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. He said if you are held at gunpoint during a car robbery, you should not only comply with the carjacker's demands, but also keep their instructions in mind.
“Are they wearing hats? What does their hair look like? What does their face look like? What kind of clothes are they wearing? What kind of shoes are they wearing? What did I tell you? That's the kind of information law enforcement needs,” Hackney said.
The carjacking was not the first crime to occur near UF Health since the beginning of this year.
According to JSO's crime map, two robberies, one robbery with assault, two vehicle thefts, and 15 assaults and shootings occurred within 1,000 feet of the hospital.
Some of those assaults were against first responders and security personnel.
Hackney said crime in the area has been an ongoing problem for decades.
“This is a very large car park and some of the car parks are isolated so unfortunately this is not new. The hospital has been doing everything it can to increase security for many years. But unfortunately, the current situation is what it is,” he said.
Mr. Hackney suggests going with a few colleagues to safely receive the car.
The husband said his wife and her co-workers have been discussing their safety.
“She and everyone she knows are very scared because we're going to have to park a few blocks away again and walk outside. All the parking lots they have are gated, but , is open. And again, they have nothing nearby and have to park and walk several blocks away, so the risk exists every day and they all know it. he said.
We asked UF Health about these safety concerns and were directed to JSO. We also contacted JSO, but did not receive an immediate response.
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